The Grass is Always Greener
by Evil Towel
Summary: Yusuke never knew being a slave could be so complicated. That was before he was sold to Toguro. Drastically AU being drastically rewritten. See profile for details regarding status.
1. Prologue: A Title In Itself

**Title:** The Grass is Always Greener  
**Author: **Niyali of the Evil Towel duo  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Summary: **Yusuke Urameshi, slave to the master Suzaku. His best friend was sold to the fearsome Toguro ten years ago...now, thanks to something he couldn't control, Yusuke's going too! But life under Toguro is very different from life under Suzaku; Yusuke learns that first-hand when he meets the rest of the "Freedom Slaves". Secrets are everywhere--that's just the way things are. Can Yusuke learn them in time? And if he can, is he really the one destined to end the war for freedom?  
**Reviews: **GREATLY APPRECIATED!! I do do review responses, although after a chapter has been up a certain amount of time they are removed for better reading.  
**Disclaimer: **We don't own anything except the plot. Get your own.

_This story is currently being revised for easier reading. Nothing drastic is being changed, so please bear with us during this short period of time._

* * *

_**The Grass is Always Greener **_

**Prologue:  
A Title In Itself**

"Bet 'ya can't catch me!" Laughing, the child raced off through the small street, running as fast as his small legs could carry him. He risked a glance back and his smile turned to a frown.

Something snagged his foot and he tripped, sprawling face first into the dirt. At the same instant, he felt a light tap on his shoulder and looked up into a pair of bright green eyes.

"Caught you," said another voice, "_You're_ It."

Yusuke pushed himself off of the ground, spitting dirt out of his mouth. He turned around to see another child standing there, grinning wildly from ear to ear.

"No fair!" Yusuke protested, "You can't team up 'gainst me, even if you are It, K'rama!" (1)

"Who says?" Kurama asked, incredulously.

"Me," Yusuke replied stubbornly, folding his arms across his chest as he'd seen his mother do on occasion, "And if an'one wants ta argu' they'll havta ansa ta me." (2) Kurama laughed. Kazuma, the child who'd tripped Yusuke so Kurama could tag him, crossed his own arms over his chest too.

"Wha' 'bout me?" (3) He demanded, in as stubborn a tone a four-year-old could get, "I'm juth ath tuff ath you!" (4) He spoke with a lisp, for he was missing his two front teeth.

"Are the two of you fighting _again_?" The timely arrival of Kazuma's older sister, Shizuru, stopped the two boys in their tracks.

"Maybee," Yusuke said.

"You shouldn't fight." Shizuru frowned.

"Why do we havta lithen to you?" (5) Kazuma asked.

"Because I'm older than you," Shizuru replied proudly, "I'm _nine_."

"So? Mama says my birfday in--" Yusuke paused and counted on his fingers before holding up seven, "Eleventy-four months! Then I be as old as K'rama!" (6)

"No," the redheaded child cut him off, "I'll be six then. My birthday's in _this_ many months." He held up two fingers.

"Birthday schmirthday," Shizuru scoffed, "I'll still be older then you no matter how hard you try!" And she skipped away. Yusuke stuck his tongue out after her.

"Yuthkue'th It!" (7) Kazuma cried, and the game began again.

**..::--::..**

Atsuko sighed as she watched the three children chase each other around the little cul-de-sac.

"What's wrong?" Shiori asked, from next to her.

"I'm just thinking," Atsuko replied, "In a few years the boys'll be old enough to work in the fields."

"I know," Shiori agreed, "They grow up so fast, don't they?"

"That's not what I meant," Atsuko chided her gently.

The two mothers sat on the porch of the small cabin the two families shared, each working on something. Atsuko peeled potatoes for their supper while Shiori quietly knitted a sweater for her boy, Shuichi. Though almost everyone called him Kurama (that was the name their master had given him), she still thought of him as her Shuichi.

Yusuke, Kurama, Kazuma, Shizuru, Shiori, and Atsuko were all slaves, working under the ownership of a certain Suzaku. Suzaku wasn't any better then them, they believed, but their ancestors had all been slaves and so they were too. It was a hard life-the men and boys worked the fields, harvesting Suzaku's crop, and the females cleaned his house and cooked for him and his minions. Suzaku's plantation wasn't very large, but it had a reputation for the best sugar around, and Suzaku wasn't about to let that reputation fall.

Atsuko and Shiori's work for the day was pretty much done, so the women could sit in the shelter of their home and watch their little boys playing, for once, in peace. The older men would be returning from the fields in a bit, and the women from their washing (today was laundry day), and they'd be hungry. Atsuko was planning on making her famous potato casserole for them all to eat-a rare treat to be sure, but one she figured they could have today (the plantation had just gotten a load of potatoes; with several of those and a few pilfered ingredients from the kitchen they were fit to go).

"What do you think of this?" Shiori asked, holding up her multi-colored yarn, "Will this make a nice sweater, or would it be better suited for-for-" She broke off, staring past Atsuko at something else. Atsuko turned to look, and her eyes narrowed.

A figure was walking up the dirt path that led to the slave quarters. He walked slowly, as if he really didn't want to be there.

"Seiryu," Atsuko hissed, peeling knife chopping viciously at the potato, "What's he doing here? We all know he thinks of us the lowest of the low!" Seiryu was one of the plantation's overseers; cold and vicious was his personality. The very air seemed to freeze around him wherever he went-but as Atsuko had said, he didn't spend very much time with the slaves (he preferred to let his fellow overseers, Byakko and Genbu, handle it).

The two ladies watched as Seiryu came right up to their porch and stopped.

"Where is the boy called Kurama?" Even his voice was cold.

"He's not here," Atsuko replied, "Sir." She scraped off another bit of potato, eyes glued to her work. Seiryu stared at her for a moment before raising an eyebrow.

"Really." He turned his head to look down the street. "Then who is that down there?" Both Shiori and Atsuko turned to look and saw the three boys, still laughing and now rolling in the dust.

"That's my son," Shiori sighed, and put down her knitting, "I'll get him." Seiryu didn't protest, so she slipped off the porch and left, gently calling Kurama's name. Seiryu waited where he was, watching everything with a frown on his face and his arms folded.

After a moment Shiori came back, Kurama walking next to her. Yusuke and Kazuma watched from a distance.

Seiryu sighed at the sight of the dust-covered boy.

"Clean him up and make him presentable," he demanded, "And be quick about it!"

"Yes m'lord." Shiori bowed her head and led Kurama into the house.

"Where is he going?" Atsuko dared to ask. Even without looking at him she could feel Seiryu's cold gaze on her.

"Suzaku has requested him," Seiryu responded, "That is all a slave like you should know." Atsuko kept her eyes firmly on her potato, which was growing smaller by the second.

It was a few minutes before Shiori appeared at the door with Kurama, the small boy now wearing fresh clothes and dust-free (except for his hair; that was still coated in dust and there hadn't been time to clean it). Seiryu looked him up and down with a critical eye.

"It'll do," he said at last, "Come--"

"Seiryu!" All looked up to see yet another figure hurrying down the path towards them, and the slaves were surprised to see it was their overlord, Suzaku. Shiori and Atsuko bowed their heads in respect; even Kurama had the sense to avert his eyes. Seiryu did nothing.

"What is taking so long?" their master demanded, "You know Toguro doesn't like waiting longer than he has to!" At the mention of Toguro, everybody froze in fear and disbelief. Toguro was a childhood bogeyman, the one mothers used in their stories to frighten bad children into behaving. "Eat your beans or Toguro will get you!" "Go to sleep or I'll send for Toguro!" Rumor had it that he was incredibly strong and a ruthless overlord, who went searching from plantation to plantation for certain slaves. Nobody knew what qualities those slaves had to possess, but when he found a slave who held them, the slave was often taken away from their homes, families, and friends, and never seen again.

"I was just coming, Suzaku," Seiryu said.

"Come on," Seiryu said to Kurama, and turned to follow Suzaku. A few steps away, he turned and saw Kurama wasn't following. "Come ON, boy!" With a fearful glance at his mother, Kurama hurried to catch up, glancing fearfully back at them until Seiryu slapped him.

Shiori gave a weak cry and collapsed on the porch.

"My Shuichi is gone," she moaned, "Shuichi...he'll never come back..."

"Now, Shiori, you don't know that," Atsuko said, trying to comfort the distraught woman, "Toguro may decide that he's not the type he needs and leave him with us."

"What's the chance of that?" Shiori moaned, her face buried in her hands. Atsuko frowned and stood up.

"Yusuke!" she called. Her son ran up to her.

"Mama? Where'd K'rama go?"

"That's what you're going to find out," Atsuko told him, kneeling so she was at his height, "Now, listen carefully. I want you to follow Kurama and tell us what happens without being seen. Can you do that?"

"Yes!"

"Then go to it!" The little boy raced off down the pathway, heading straight for the big house. Atsuko straightened up and remembered the potato in her hand. It was now the size of her thumb. She tossed it in the bucket with the others; small or not, they could still use it.

**..::--::..**

Suzaku watched Toguro's face carefully as he surveyed the boy in front of him.. The slave was clearly terrified of him and was keeping still with an effort.

"Well?" Suzaku asked, at length, "I haven't got all day." Toguro turned to him.

"He'll do," he said, "How much?" Suzaku was taken aback; had he reached a decision so quickly?

"I'll give you three-hundred thousand," Toguro went on. Suzaku was speechless. Surely this boy wasn't worth this much?

"Done," he said, before Toguro could change his mind. Toguro smiled.

"Excellent." He turned to the boy. "You belong to me now." Suzaku would have been amused at the boy's fearful expression, but he felt something else, as if something was...watching them. He glanced over at the window and saw a child sitting in a tree, watching them intently.

"You!" Suzaku started towards the window but didn't make it a step before something collided with him, knocking him over. In self-defense he lashed out and ended up sending something flying across the room.

"I'll thank you not to harm my property," Toguro said, coldly. Suzaku looked up and realized what he had flung across the room. His-no, Toguro's-slave lay in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the opposite wall, not moving.

"He attacked me!" Suzaku said, in weak defense, "You saw him! Your slave deliberately--"

"And as his owner I, not you, should decide his punishment," Toguro replied smoothly. Suzaku stared at him.

"Here." Toguro tossed a black pouch at Suzaku that the overlord barely caught. "Your payment." With that he strode across the room, picked up his new slave, and left. Suzaku just stood there, mouth hanging open, heavy pouch in his hand. Only after a few moments had passed did he remember the boy who had been outside their window. He looked over, well prepared to vent his anger on the slave who was there.

The tree was empty.

**..::--::..**

When Yusuke returned to the slave quarters, nobody had to ask what had happened. The little boy flung himself in his mother's arms and cried, while Shiori let out a wail of pain and loss that would have broken any heart before collapsing onto the ground.

Kurama was gone. And he wasn't coming back.

**..::--::..**

Translations:

(1) "You can't team up against me, even if you are It, Kurama!" (Yusuke)  
(2) "And if anyone wants to argue, they'll have to answer to me." (Yusuke again)  
(3) "What about me?" (Kazuma)  
(4) "I'm just as tough as you!" (Kazuma)  
(5) "Why do we have to listen to you?" (Kazuma, yet again)  
(6) "So? Mama says my birthday's in-eleventy-four months! Then I'll be as old as Kurama!" (Yusuke)  
(7) "Yusuke's It!" (Kazuma)


	2. Chapter One: Out of the Blue

**So far: **Life as a slave isn't at all fun; as slaves of Suzaku, Yusuke and Kuwabara are subject to whatever their master decides. Kurama has already been sold to a different plantation...and the slaves know they will never see him again.

**This Chapter: **Ten years find Yusuke and Kuwabara grown up, and ready to face life's challenges. But an uncontrollable event may seperate the two childhood friends...

* * *

**Chapter One:  
Out of the Blue **

_Ten Years Later_

The night was still. Crickets cheeped busily in the fields, chattering to one another in the bizarre language of crickets that we will never understand. Water poured noisily over stones as it raced down the path of a creek, but the water in ponds and barrels were still. Not even a breeze stirred to cool down the rough cabins made of logs and well insulated, much less to do anything about the inhabitants inside.

Yusuke sat on the porch of his house, brown eyes clouded in thought. There were no windows in his room, or the main room, or the girls room, so he had come outside to try to get cool enough to sleep. No such luck.

Inside the house, he knew, Kuwabara was sleeping soundly, probably muttering about something or other as he did so (they used to call him Kazuma, but the two boys decided Kuwabara sounded more mature). Nobody slept in the main room behind him, but to the left of that the girls were sleeping--Atsuko, Shizuru, and Shiori.

His mother, Kuwabara's sister, and Kurama's mother.

Yusuke had been thinking about Kurama a lot lately. He didn't know why, but somehow his thoughts kept drifting to the other boy. He didn't have very many memories of him--just of the three of them playing tag or some other childish game, or eating together outside by the creek when their mothers let them, or--the day he was taken away.

Why did slaves have to be sold? Besides Kurama, Yusuke knew of at least a couple other people who had fallen prey to the same fate. He had never known his own father-he assumed he'd been sold off when Yusuke was just a baby (since his mother never talked about it, Yusuke had no way of knowing). Both Kuwabara's parents had been sold to different plantations-his father to a certain Dr. Ichigaki's plantation a bit further south and his mother to Rando's further east. Coincidentally, Yusuke's female friend, Keiko, had come from Rando's plantation with her family in exchange (how that was a fair trade, Yusuke had no idea--he supposed Rando must have gotten some more of Suzaku's to make it fair). Kuwabara had fun teasing Yusuke about Keiko--and as much as Yusuke denied it he did feel different about Keiko. She was different, in some way Yusuke couldn't describe. But it was a nice different...

"Urameshi?" Yusuke turned to see Kuwabara standing in the doorway, orange hair sticking every which way, "What're you doing out here?" Kuwabara often called Yusuke by his surname. He varied from Urameshi to Yusuke, but usually used the former.

"Couldn't sleep," Yusuke replied, as Kuwabara came and sat down next to him, "It's really hot tonight."

"It'll probably be hotter tomorrow," Kuwabara remarked, "Working in the sugar fields."

"Yeah. The girls are lucky--they get to work up at the Big House. At least they'll be indoors."

"It's just as hot inside, Urameshi."

"Right." There was silence again, as the two stared out into the night.

"D'you miss him, Urameshi?"

"Miss him?" Startled, Yusuke turned to Kuwabara. "Miss who?"

"Kurama." Yusuke suddenly became very interested in the ground under their bare feet, and the building across the street, anywhere but Kuwabara's suddenly determined black eyes.

"Don't act like you don't, Urameshi!" Kuwabara exclaimed, suddenly, "I know you do! I hear you at night, muttering his name in your sleep--"

"I don't talk in my sleep, doofus!" (When Yusuke got upset or angry, he tended to insult people).

"Yeah you do! You didn't used to do it, you only started a few weeks ago. Anyway, you don't have to get so defensive. I was just askin'." There was another silence.

"I miss him too," Kuwabara admitted.

"What?"

"I said I miss him too. I don't remember him a lot, but-"

"I know." Yusuke sighed. "Me too." Silence reigned again as the two fourteen-year-old boys stared at the moon, both lost in thought.

**..::--::..**

They were up with the sun, as they had been almost every morning. Yusuke and Kuwabara, for all their talk the night before, barely exchanged a word as they splashed warm water on their faces and dressed in the bland, off-white pants the plantation provided them with, rolling the pants up for more comfort. The shirts they put on reluctantly--they'd need protection from the sun, even if it was hot. Having done this, they went into the main room where breakfast was waiting for them on the table.

The girls were already awake, all dressed in skirts and shirts of the same off-white color the boys had. Atsuko poured the coldest water they had into glasses, while Shiori and Shizuru sliced bread and cheese. Not the best breakfast, but it could be made without heating up anything, so that was why they had it.

"Did you sleep well?" Atsuko asked, as they sat down.

"Not really," Yusuke yawned, running a hand through his black hair casually, "Too hot."

"Well, what'd you expect?" Shizuru asked, putting cheese on bread and biting into it, "It is summer, after all."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Shiori reprimanded her. Ever since the Kuwabara parents had been sold off, Atsuko and Shiori had sort of "adopted" the Kuwabara siblings. Shizuru, at her age of nineteen, pretty much ignored her.

So the day began and continued as it always did; breakfast and very little conversation, then each went off to their own work place (the girls to the Big House and the boys to the field) for another long and grueling day of work. As always.

The sugar fields were hot as they cut down cane and dragged it to the ends of the row to be picked up. Then back into the row, cut some more, drag it back, and go back for more. Again, and again, and again. All the livelong day, not even stopping for a lunch break. The only break they got was when the sun went down, and that didn't happen for hours.

But not today.

"I am so _sick_ of this!" Yusuke grumbled, as he swung his scythe to cut another stalk of cane.

"Eight more hours," Kuwabara muttered, from the row behind him, "Onlyeight more hours."

"I hate this!" Yusuke grumbled to himself, forgetting the fact that he'd done this every year since he'd been ten, "I really really hate this!"

"Hey!" Genbu had come down his row to check on his progress, "Did I hear somebody talking?"

"No, sir," Yusuke called, chopping ferociously at the stalks. One wouldn't cut. "Stupid thing...stupid...stupid..." He swung harder, trying to cut through it. Still it wouldn't cut. "I HATE THIS!" A wave of heat erupted from the fields, washing over everything and drowning it out. There was a brilliant flash of blue light, and all the slaves ducked and covered their heads. Wind rushed over them, cutting into their unprotected arms, legs, and feet, whipping their clothing in all directions. Finally, finally, it stopped, and they all managed to look up.

Where stalks of sugar cane had stood before, there was nothing. The ground, however, was covered with them, squashed and matted, forming a thick carpet of sugar cane that was bleeding a sticky substance onto the ground.

What on earth had just happened?

**..::--::..**

Suzaku was hard at work doing calculations. There had been a good growth this spring; once all the sugar cane was harvested, how much "Four Saints Sugar" would they have? And then how much would they make? If there were roughlyone hundredstalks per row, andfifty rows per field (of which he had five), andfive stalks madeone bag of sugar, and each bag sold forten bucks...

"Master?" He looked up. The female slave who was standing in the door quickly averted her eyes, staring down at the floor, her brown hair falling over her face.

"Yes?"

"There's someone here to see you. She says she's from Toguro." Toguro? Now what could he want?

"Send her in." The slave bowed and left, and Suzaku turned back to his paperwork while he waited. He started and stared at his calculations; only five million? That couldn't possibly be right! He looked back over his work. Oh, there was the problem. He'd multiplied bya thousandwhen he should have been multiplying by...ten...he redid his calculations. There, that made seventeen. No, wait, that couldn't possibly be right!

"Lord Suzaku?" He turned to face the figure in the doorway.

"You must be Toguro's representative?"

"Bingo!"

**..::--::..**

"And that's why I have to leave!" Yusuke explained to his mother, as he shoved things in a sack bag, "I don't know what happened, but I know it was me! And since it ruined practically all the sugar cane Genbu'll be sure to tell Suzaku and then I'll be _dead meat_!!"

"Yusuke, calm down!" Atsuko said, from the doorway, "It was only one field, I'm sure there's something--"

"Didn't you hear me?!?" Yusuke wailed, pulling on his only pair of shoes, **_"DEAD MEAT!"_**

"Bingo, bingo, you win the prize!" Both turned towards the sound of the voice, and saw something very unusual.

A girl was standing there, her bright blue hair bound up in a high ponytail. Her candy pink eyes danced with amusement and hidden glee, and she was dressed casually in a pair of jean shorts and a light pink tee-shirt. She wore a solid silver bracelet on her right wrist. Since they'd never seen a girl wearing pants before, much less a girl with blue hair and pink eyes, staring was all Atsuko and Yusuke could do.

Yusuke recovered himself first.

"Who the heck are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She stepped into their cabin and bent in a quick bow, glancing left and right before straightening up and giving them a mock salute, "Botan's the name! Captain of the River Styx and guide to the Spirit World!" Her bracelet crackled, and she jumped, exclaiming in pain, "Ouch! Sorry, I'm Botan, current representative of the Great Toguro."

"Toguro?" Atsuko asked, "What does he want?" Botan turned to Yusuke.

"You're Yusuke Urameshi, correct?"

"Yeah," Yusuke said, incredulously, "What about it?"

"Then you're the one we've been looking for!"

"What does he want with Yusuke?" Atsuko asked. Botan laughed.

"I should think that was obvious!" Botan exclaimed, and bent closer, "What with your little power display not ten minutes ago, I'm surprised I got here first!"

"Here first?" Atsuko asked, at the same time Yusuke asked, "Power display?"

"Yes," Botan said, to both, "Anybody would want that much power on their plantation. Luckily, Suzaku hasn't realized it yet and signed all the papers. You're coming with me, Yusuke."

"Y-you mean leave?" Yusuke gasped, "Leave the plantation?"

"That's what it means!" Botan nodded.

"But--but--"

"Of course, if you want to stay here," Botan said, turning around and walking slowly towards the door, "And get in trouble with Suzaku for what you did to his sugar, not to mention have your power harnessed to do more destruction as such, I'll just go reverse the deal. Never mind that you could get proper training at our plantation--"

"Wait wait!" Yusuke exclaimed, "You mean, Suzaku couldn't punish me?"

"He can't: you're not his anymore. But if you don't want to--"

"Forget it! I'm coming!" She turned around, clapping her hands in approval.

"Oh, I just knew you would! Now grab your things, we have to leave if we're going to get anywhere on time!" Yusuke turned and grabbed his bag (which had everything he had in it) and followed Botan out of the cabin. At the door, he remembered his mother was still standing there, watching him. With a glance at Botan, he raced back in and grabbed her in a quick hug. She hugged him back.

"Tell them where I've gone," he muttered in her ear, "But I'll be back. Don't worry."

"Yusuke!" Botan called, from outside.

"I love you," he whispered, and let go of her. Silent tears ran down her face as she followed him to the door, then stood on the porch while he walked to where Botan was standing.

"Ready?" Botan asked him. He wasn't; but he nodded anyway. She flung out her right hand and her bracelet glowed a bright blue for a moment before a long oar appeared in her hand. Yusuke's eyes widened in surprise as she leveled it horizontal with the ground and got onto it, sitting sidesaddle on it as if it was a horse.

_Her feet didn't touch the ground._

"Well?" she pushed, "What're you waiting for? Get on!" The moment had come at last; it was time to leave. Unsure of what he was doing, he hesitated.

That was long enough for the shouts coming from the field to reach their ears. It was Genbu, roaring his head off.

"WHEN I GET A HOLD OF HIM--"

"COME ON!" Botan shouted, "DO YOU REALLY WANT TO STAY AND GET BEATEN INTO LITTLE TINY PIECES?!" That did it; any hesitation Yusuke had was gone. Grabbing the oar, he swung his right leg over and sat awkwardly on it. His fingers tightened reflexively as they shot upwards. His mother shrunk, as did the cabins, and the little form of Genbu racing towards the slave quarters. He looked left and right over the sides of the oar, amazed at how small everything was.

Then the thought of finally getting away from Suzaku struck him, and he laughed at Suzaku's loss. So what if he'd destroyed abouta fifthof the plantation's sugar output? It didn't affect him; it _couldn't_ affect him because he didn't live there anymore! How could this _possibly_ get any worse?

"Goodbye, Suzaku!" Botan laughed, as they flew over the Big House, "On to Toguro!"

Oh. Right.


	3. Chapter Two: Words Can Only Say So Much

**So Far: **Formerly belonging to Master Suzaku, after an uncontrollable accident Yusuke finds his ownership switched to one bogeyman Toguro--the same man who took away his childhood friend ten years ago.

**This Chapter: **Flying high above the sky, Yusuke and the mysterious blue-haired 'representative' of Toguro have a little talk.

* * *

**Chapter Two:  
Words Can Only Say So Much**

All his life he'd wished to get away, go somewhere else, do something else, live another life. Well, he'd gotten his wish. 

Sort of.

But was it worth what he was giving up?

"Something wrong?" Botan asked, turning her head to face him. They were cruising along at a nice speed above the clouds. Surprisingly, it was cooler up there.

"No," he snapped, "Everything's just fine."

"Right." She smiled knowingly. "You miss them already, don't you?" Taken aback by such a blunt suggestion, Yusuke quickly stammered a negative.

"Wh-what? Of course I--"

"Do," Botan finished for him, and laughed, "Don't worry about it. You're not the first one I've taken who's had that reaction."

"T-taken?"

"You know, gone as a 'representative of Toguro' to fetch somebody he deems appropriate! And most of them have almost immediately begun missing their families-so it's completely natural." Yusuke was comforted by this; but he still had to ask.

"Will I ever see them again?" When Botan didn't answer, he got the answer for himself. "I guess not."

"I'm sorry," she said, at length, "But...you'll get used to it! I promise. It's not that hard of a life. Our work is-different from what you've done on the plantation."

"Different? How?"

"I can't describe it, really," she admitted, reluctantly, "But you'll see soon enough."

A while passed before she spoke again.

"That's...not all that's bothering you, is it." It was a statement, not a question. Yusuke sighed.

"No." She waited patiently for him to go on.

"It's like this," Yusuke admitted, "I dunno if you'd really understand, but Toguro's sort of--"

"A childhood nightmare?" When he looked at her, startled, she laughed (she spent too much time laughing, in Yusuke's opinion), "I felt that way too! But like I've said before, it's really--"

" 'Not that bad,'" Yusuke chorused with her, and she laughed again.

"There, you see?"

"But that's not all," Yusuke started, and she tilted her head.

"Oh?"

"When I was little, about four or so, Toguro took one of my friends away from me. I saw the sale with Suzaku, and--it wasn't what you'd call a good one."

"Most sales aren't."

"That's not what I meant!" Yusuke protested, strongly resisting the urge to call her stupid, "Will you quit cutting me off?"

"Sorry."

"Anyway, I don't remember much of it. I was kind of hiding and spying, and Suzaku saw me, but Kur--my friend threw himself at him so I could get away. And I really haven't seen him since."

"I see." Yusuke suddenly realized that he'd just had a deep conversation with a girl. A girl he'd only just met, at that.

"Hey, why am I telling you all this?" he demanded roughly. She shrugged and made a little "I dunno" hum.

"Well, if you ask me, you're just--"

"Shut up." Her eyes widened.

"I beg your pardon?!"

"Shut up! Shut up-up-_up_! I'm sick of hearing you laugh at everything I say as if I'm stupid, and I'm tired of telling you things you'll probably go off and gossip to your friends in between cleaning the kitchen!" _That_ was the wrong thing to say. The oar jerked to a stop in mid-air, and Botan spun around to face him.

"YUSUKE URAMESHI! DO YOU THINK ALL I DO IS TALK AND LAUGH? WELL I'M NOT STUPID, AND I'M NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO SUCH TALK FROM YOU! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, I CAN KICK YOU OFF THIS OAR AND LET YOU FALL TO YOUR DOOM!!!" She was fuming, so close to him Yusuke thought if she leaned any further she'd fall into him. The two stared at each other for a moment before she moved back in a huff.

"And another thing. I wasn't trying to be nosy; I was trying to help you adjust to your new life. It's not going to be the same since you've agreed to work for Toguro."

"Why not?" Yusuke asked, folding his arms in a huff of his own, "What's he do? Grow flowers?" She frowned.

"No, but you shouldn't joke about things like that. I know some perfectly decent men who grow flowers, and they're nowhere near what Toguro is." Her bracelet crackled warningly, but it didn't seem to hurt her this time.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Yusuke said, "Geez. Don't have a kitten."

"You could be a bit more polite," she said, but the oar started moving again, "After all, you're going to be seeing a lot more of me then I'm sure you'd like."

"What?" At Suzaku's plantation, the only interaction the girls had with the boys was dinner time and small social gatherings when they had a break, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough! Now hold on!" Yusuke was about to make a snappy remark when she swooped into a dive, causing him to exclaim in surprise and grab the oar tightly. No sooner had he done so then she loop-de-looped not once, but twice, before straightening out and laughing at Yusuke's expression.

"What'd you do that for?" Yusuke demanded, as soon as he could speak calmly, "You scared me half to death!"

"Consider it payback for those nasty remarks," she shot back, "So now we're even!" He stared at her for a moment before his expression (and attitude) changed.

"You know," he said slowly, "You're a lot different from the other girls I've met."

"If that's supposed to mean anything, you can forget it."

"Sorry." They flew on in silence again. Yusuke wondered how long this trip was going to take. He was getting bored.

"One more thing," Botan said, "This friend you spoke of-what was his name?" Yusuke paused before answering, but decided it couldn't do any harm. Maybe she knew him.

"Kurama." Once again, the oar jerked to a stop, and she spun around to face him. This time, though, her face was lit up with an expression other then anger.

"You're serious?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Kurama? You're absolutely positive his name was Kurama? Did he go by any other names?"

"Well, his mother called him Shuichi..." She let out a whoop and swirled around.

"Hold on tight!" She yelled, and the oar shot ahead, going faster than Yusuke had ever gone.

"Wait!" Yusuke called, over the rush of wind, "D'you know him?"

"You'll see soon enough!" She exclaimed.

"Botan, that's not answering the quest--" She cut him off by shooting into another dive, this time sending them through the clouds so Yusuke got soaked with tiny droplets. Then they were through, and when he saw what was below him, his jaw dropped.

Below them was the largest plantation Yusuke had ever seen. There were several fields, all growing various kinds of plants. The buildings were innumerable; Yusuke thought he could tell which ones were the slave quarters (the smallest buildings, and boy there were a lot of them!), but the others he could only guess their purposes for. Woods surrounded the plantation on all sides, stretching far off into the distance. A river ran lazily through it all, winding here and there, so there were various bridges scattered around for people who didn't want to get wet. But most amazing of all was the house, in front of which Botan pulled sharply out of her dive and hopped off.

Yusuke'd never seen something so big. It was at least four stories tall, and he thought it must be a mile long (he was exaggerating, but it looked that big to him). The whole slave population of Suzaku's plantation would fit inside it, twice, maybe even three times! With everyone having their own room! How long would that take to clean?

"We don't use all the rooms," Botan said, sensing Yusuke's awe, "Toguro doesn't allow us into very many--none of us have ever been higher then the second floor." Yusuke's mouth opened and closed like a fish, and he couldn't say anything.

"Come on!" Botan said, "It's getting late, and I want you to get settled in and meet everybody tonight!" Yusuke got off the oar, still staring open-mouthed at the house. He missed the disappearance of the oar, but suddenly Botan was walking up the steps towards the front doors, and he raced after her.

"Hey!" he called, "Shouldn't we use the side door or something?" She looked at him like he was crazy before placing her hand on the gigantic doorknobs and opening it, heading inside so Yusuke had to follow.

Yusuke didn't remember much as she led him through the house, apart from signs that a very wealthy person lived there. What was Botan? She couldn't be a slave--slaves didn't just go walking into their Master's house like they owned it!

Maybe she wasn't one. That would make sense. After all, what kind of person sent a slave to bargain and buy another one? And then fly them back? It didn't seem normal at all-wait a minute. The realization of what he and Botan had just done finally kicked in-they had just flown from Suzaku's plantation to Toguro's.

_Flown_. On something used to propel a _boat_. Something that Botan had _created out of nothing_.

What _was_ this girl? And more importantly...

Where was the bathroom?

"Botan, I--"

"Shh," Botan said, stopping at a door and raising her hand to knock.

"But Botan, I need to know--" She gave him a stern look and knocked on the door.

The door opened from the inside.

_Of course_, Yusuke thought, as Botan stepped forwards, _How dramatic._ He was starting to get really annoyed with all this mystery. Why couldn't somebody just tell him what was going on instead of hinting at it?

His thoughts ended as they entered the room, and he braced himself, preparing to see the person who had taken his childhood friend from him.

But somebody else stepped forwards.

"So this is the new slave?" said a voice, and Yusuke couldn't quite keep his expression of disbelief off his face. Since Botan kicked him, it was obvious she noticed it too.

"Master," she said, inclining her head in respect. Was it just him or did she not like doing it? "This is Yusuke Urameshi. Your brother sent for him earlier today."

"Of course." Now Yusuke had a really good look at the one Botan had called "Master". He was short, with grey hair that fell past his shoulders and pale, sickly skin. Yusuke was faintly reminded of a snake.

"Brother cannot greet you properly, I'm afraid," the thing said, turning to Yusuke, and Yusuke strongly resisted the urge to laugh, "But I would be more than happy to do it for him. Welcome to the Toguro Plantation. Your duties are quite simple, and should be easy for you to understand." Now what was that supposed to mean?

"To put it simply, get stronger and stay out of people's way." Yusuke stared blankly at him.

"What?" Botan kicked him again.

"Uh...I mean...what the heck is that s'posed to mean?" Botan kicked him a third time. Harder. The thing turned to Botan.

"Didn't you tell him anything?"

"You never told me to, sir," she responded uneasily, "Was I supposed to?"

"Yes," the thing spat, "I don't know why Brother has so much patience with you."

"Beg pardon, sir!?"

"Never mind. Come here, boy." Yusuke glanced at Botan, who nodded. He took a step forward and was rewarded with a silver bracelet much like the one Botan wore.

"Put it on," the thing told him. When he hesitated, it yelled the instruction again. Louder. Much louder. "PUT IT ON!!" Yusuke hurriedly did so. The thing smiled. Instead of comforting Yusuke, it only sickened him and made him want to go to the bathroom all the more. Ugly things like that shouldn't smile so much. Yusuke opened his mouth to say so.

"You may leave now," the thing said. Botan inclined her head again and all but dragged Yusuke out the door.

"What is this thing?" Yusuke asked, tugging at the bracelet. No matter how hard he tugged, it wouldn't come off.

"It's a restraint," Botan said, walking him out of the building, "You can't use your powers while it's on-unless the bracelet sees fit."

" 'Powers?' 'Sees fit?' What's that supposed to mean?"

"Watch." They were outside now. Botan flung out her right hand and concentrated. Yusuke waited for her oar to appear, but nothing happened. After a moment, Botan stopped, beads of sweat now lingering on her forehead.

"See?" she said, "One of the things I can do is produec my oar and fly around on it. Right now, I don't _need_ my oar, so I couldn't make it. The bracelet wouldn't let me. Earlier today, when I was picking you up, I needed to get you here, so I could." All thoughts of needing the bathroom now gone, Yusuke thought of something else and dared to ask.

"What if you needed to escape?" Botan started walking again, hands in her pockets. Yusuke fell in sync with her, and it was a while before she answered.

"You can't escape from Toguro."

"Oh." Well, what was he expecting? The bracelet would allow her to make her oar to fly away?

"Toguro controls them," Botan added, "While they're on, we can't say anything derogatory or false about him or this plantation."

"Makes sense. So what are these 'powers' I keep hearing about? And what did that th-"

"Elder Toguro," Botan quickly reprimanded him, "He's Toguro's brother."

"GAH! You mean there's two of them?" That wasn't really a bad comment, but Yusuke could have sworn he felt his bracelet tingle for a moment. Botan nodded.

"Anyway, what did he mean by 'get stronger'? You mean be able to do more chores and stuff?"

"No," Botan said, "Just to get stronger. You know, focus your energy and be more productive with it." She was rewarded with another blank stare from Yusuke.

"What?" Botan rolled her eyes.

"Never mind." They continued walking.

"Hey Botan," Yusuke asked, after a moment, "Aren't the slave quarters over there?"

"Yes."

"So why have we just passed them all?"

"Because we don't go there." Yusuke stared at her.

"Don't ask," Botan said, "You'll see it in a minute." They kept walking, heading around the fields. Yusuke saw many slaves hard at work, sweating terribly in the horrible heat. To think that could have been him...

"There it is!" Botan exclaimed, and he turned his attention forwards. Once again, his jaw dropped.

Standing in front of them was a house that may have been larger than the Big House. And it was shaped differently; it had towers and turrets and round corners and all sorts of neat stuff. Yusuke stopped in his tracks, staring wide-eyed at it. Botan giggled at his expression.

"Come on!" She said, nudging him in the back, "Let's go-I'm dying to get inside and have a nice cool drink!" She grabbed his hand and ran towards it, towing him behind her.

The closer they got, the bigger the house seemed to get. Yusuke couldn't believe it; there were two Big Houses? And...was he actually going to get to _live_ in one?

This couldn't be real.

They arrived at the door and Botan let go of him, placing her hand on the door handle and turning to him.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yeah," was all Yusuke could manage. She giggled and turned the handle, pushing the door open and him inside.

"Welcome to your new home, Yusuke."


	4. Chapter Three: Milk and Cookies

**A Note From Niyali: **For all who remember The Counselors Office: ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK (written by our lovely Arashi-chan!), Arashi is offering chapters available by email to all who ask. Sign up now by emailing us!

**So Far: **Slave Yusuke Urameshi has been sold to the feared Toguro; the girl Botan has brought him to his new home. A meeting with the eldest Toguro gives Yusuke a mysterious bracelet, to restrain powers he didn't know he had...and also to keep him from revolting.

**This Chapter: **Yusuke meets the other inhabitants of the "House"...and it's quite different from what he expected.

**Second Author's Note: **I CANNOT WRITE JIN'S ACCENT. Please use your imagination, and don'thate me for it!

* * *

**Chapter Three:  
Milk and Cookies**

The first thing Yusuke was aware of was how cool it was inside the house. He could have sworn he felt a soft breeze came from somewhere, but when he glanced behind him, the door was shut. He couldn't see any windows either. That was weird...

The second thing he noticed-or heard, rather-was a clanking sound. When he turned to look, he was Botan had removed her bracelet and placed it on a shelf.

"I thought you said they didn't come off!" he exclaimed. She turned to him.

"They don't. Not outside the house, anyway. But inside, they slip right off. Try it." He did, and sure enough, the silver band slipped off his wrist easily. With a glance at Botan, he put it on the same shelf she had, noticing that theirs were not the only ones on it.

"When you want to go outside, hold your hand over the shelf and draw up a bit of your power," Botan explained, "It will call to your bracelet, and your bracelet will glow as well. Then you put it on and go out. The house won't let you leave unless you're wearing one."

"Hold on a minute, Botan, I'm still not understanding this whole 'powers' bit. What powers?"

"I'm not the right one to tell you," she sighed, "I'd probably just get you more confused. I'll let the others do it. Anyway, we might as well get you used to things here. Come on!" She led the way down a hallway, Yusuke followed and listened to her chatter half-mindedly.

"I don't know where everybody else is right now--probably training. They might be in their rooms, or outside on the plantation. Or somewhere. They may be off on one of those random tests Toguro throws, I really don't know. There's no way of telling. But you'll meet them all soon enough, I bet! Uh, this is the kitchen..." They had emerged into a large room that looked just like the kitchen up at Suzaku's. Well, it had all the stuff--Yusuke recognized the stove, the sink, he imagined the cupboards held plates and other stuff. But some things he didn't recognize.

"This is a refrigerator," Botan said, pointing to something he'd thought was just an overly large cabinet, "It keeps things cool, thanks to modern technology. Next to it's the freezer--it keeps things at a colder temperature. And...what else...I dunno. You can have a seat." She gestured for him to sit as she said so, so he slid onto one of the chairs at the island, watching her as she took a glass out of one of the cupboards, held it under the faucet, and turned it on.

It was then that Yusuke realized he really,_really_ needed to use the bathroom.

"Botan," he asked urgently, as she shut off the water, "I need--"

"Oh, you want one too?" She put her glass down on the counter, "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask--"

"_No!_" Yusuke yelled, standing up as she moved to turn on the water again.

"Milk, then?" She moved towards the milk.

"No--if you could...just...where's the bathroom?" She stared at him for a moment before setting down the empty glass and laughing. Yusuke frowned. It wasn't funny! He really had to go!

"I'm sorry," Botan giggled, wiping tears from her eyes, "I'm so stupid...is that what you've been trying to ask me all along?"

"Just tell me where the stupid thing is!" He squirmed uncomfortably.

"Take that door," she pointed, "First door on your right." He followed her instructions as quickly as he could without making it seem like he was too desperate, and was rewarded with finding the bathroom. It was the type of bathroom he'd expect in a Master's house. Back at the slave quarters, they'd had to use the woods...nothing so sophisticated as this!!

Botan wasn't alone when he went back into the kitchen.

"Oh, Yusuke!" She exclaimed, turning to him, "I'd like you to meet Yukina--Yukina, this is Yusuke. He just arrived a few minutes ago."

"I'm very pleased to meet you," Yukina said, bowing. She was small but pretty-her hair was a light mint color and tied back with a red ribbon. She wore a teal kimono, and when she looked back up to Yusuke, he saw her eyes were red. Unusual color for eyes.

"Same here," Yusuke replied, not sure what else to say. Botan laughed again.

"Don't be shy, Yusuke, Yukina doesn't bite."

"I wasn't afraid of that!" Yusuke protested, as the girls giggled, "Stop laughing!"

"Sorry, Yusuke," Botan said, still giggling. Yusuke scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Don't mind them," said another voice, "They mean you no harm." Yusuke turned to see a male standing there. He was dressed casually in leggings and a loose, no-sleeved white shirt. His hair was blue, with four or five mint green strands hanging stiffly in front of his face. However, it was his eyes that struck Yusuke as weird. An icy blue, they were, and had no pupils.

"Hello Touya!" Botan giggled, "Yusuke here just got back from the bathroom."

"BOTAN!"

"Sorry!" The girls burst into fresh laughter.

"They're like that all the time," Touya informed Yusuke, "Don't feed Botan sugar. Ever. Or Jin. _Especially_ Jin."

"Who?"

"I guess you'll meet him later."

"Why does everybody keep telling me 'later'?" Yusuke demanded, "Or laughing at me."

"We're not laughing at you," Botan giggled, "We're laughing _with_ you!"

"I'm not laughing."

"Oh, silly you, being so pessimistic all the time," Botan waved a hand at him, "We know you're laughing in your mind."

"What, are you telepathic or something?"

"No," now she actually looked serious, "That's Hiei."

"Who?"

"Later."

"STOP TELLING ME LATER AND ANSWER MY QUESTION FOR ONCE!"

"What question?" Touya asked.

Yusuke folded his arms. "Where should I start?"

"At the beginning!" Yukina offered helpfully.

"See? We answered your question!" Botan exclaimed.

"URG."

"NERG."

"Who said that?"

"I did!" There was a blast of wind, and then somebody was standing next to a big jar.

"Hi," said that somebody, "I just came in for a cookie." He reached for the jar.

"_No you don't_!" Touya roared, and leapt forward, seizing the cookie jar and moving it away.

"Oi! I wanted one!"

"No sugar for you."

"Besides, cookies are for dinner," Botan said, while taking one out of the jar herself. Touya snatched it out of her hand.

"None for any of you! I'm hiding these!" He left the room, cookie jar firmly in hand.

"I bet he's gonna go eat them all," the new somebody muttered.

"Who are you?" Yusuke asked.

"Yusuke, this is Jin," Botan said, "Jin, this is Yusuke Urameshi. Go easy on him, he's new." Jin was---how to say this--extremely tall. He had bright red hair that grew wildly in every direction and big, energetic blue eyes. What Yusuke noticed most was his fangs and the small horn sticking out of his head. But before he could comment, Jin grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically.

"HI! I'm Jin! I'm very pleased to meet you and hopefully you can steal a cookie from Touya for me! He always trusts the new people!"

"Hey, watch it, I only have two of those!" Yusuke felt like Jin was cutting the circulation off from his fingers and quickly snatched his hand back.

"Sorry. Hey, d'you wanna go with me to steal the cookies back from Touya?"

"Uh, I guess so..."

"GREAT!" The next thing Yusuke knew, there was a big gust of wind and he was standing in front of a door.

"Where the heck are we?"

"In front of Touya's room!" Jin said, helpfully, "Different section of the house. Don't worry. Stick with me, and I'll get you safely back to the kitchen."

"Great," Yusuke muttered.

"Okay," Jin said, "This is easy. Go in, snatch the cookie jar, go out. Got it?" Yusuke nodded.

"Okay then." Jin placed his hand on the doorknob.

"Wait a minute!" Yusuke exclaimed, "Shouldn't you knock or something?"

"He's not in."

"How do you know?"

"We passed him on the way up."

"...oh..." Jin opened the door. A blast of cold air blew out.

"WHOA!" Yusuke exclaimed, hugging himself, "THAT'S FREEZING!"

"Ya, and?"

"YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BE THINKING ABOUT GOING IN THERE!"

"Why not? I go in Touya's room all the time! It's not so bad once you get used to it!"

"But--" Yusuke noticed the icicle dangling from his nose, "It's cold!"

"Duh. He is an Ice Master."

"Ice Master?" Jin gave him a quizzical look.

"You've got a lot to learn, don't you?"

"It wouldn't be so much if people would ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!"

"Been there, done that," Jin said, "Now let's go in before the room melts."

"I'm not going in there!"

"What, are you chicken?"

"No, I'm cold!"

"Ah, so you're a cold chicken."

"YES!"

"Thighs or cutlets?"

"What?"

"Thighs or cutlets?"

"NO!"

"Stupid."

"_What_?"

"Stupid. There! I answered a question! Now come on in!" Before Yusuke could argue, Jin had pushed him in and shut the door.

"JIN!" Yusuke yelled, pounding on the door, "LET ME OUT!! IT'S COLD IN HERE!"

"Find the cookies!" came the energetic answer.

"NO! LET ME OUT!"

"Not if you don't find the cookies..." Yusuke frowned and turned to the room.

It was a winter wonderland. Everything was covered in ice and snow. No wonder it was so cold. Yusuke trudged through it, looking in vain for something resembling a cookie jar. After a while, he decided to give up, and went back to the door.

"Jin!" he called, "Let me out! I'm cold!"

"Do you have the cookies?" came the voice.

"Yes," Yusuke lied. The door opened.

"Where?" Jin asked, "I don't see any cookies...no exit!" He slammed the door in Yusuke's face. A moment later, he opened it.

"Touya's coming! Hide!" He slammed the door again, and Yusuke dove into a pile of snow. No sooner had he done this then the door opened again.

"Ha ha, you fell for it," Jin laughed, "Did you find the cookies?"

"N-no!" Yusuke yelled, shivering.

"Ok." The door shut.

"NO!" The door opened.

"Just kidding," Jin said, "Let's go look somewhere else."

"N-n-no. T-take me b-b-back to the k-kitchen."

"I've got a better idea...I'll give you a tour of everybody's rooms!" After being locked in a freezer (well, not really but close enough) Yusuke wasn't sure he wanted that.

"COME ON!"

But he didn't have a choice.

He suspected somebody had fed Jin sugar before he arrived.

Just his luck.


	5. Chapter Four: Flusssssssssssssssssssssh

**Author's Warning: **The authors were high on sugar during the making of this chapter. Also, the large _italicized _section is a flashback...from now on, all memories/flashbacks will be written in such a style.

**So Far: **Yusuke's met Jin, Touya, Yukina, Botan, and the creepy Elder Toguro (who gave him a mysterious silver bracelet), but as of yet there's no sign of the other Toguro...or Kurama...

**This Chapter: **In a good-intentions accident, Yusuke's been locked in one of the most dangerous rooms in the house...and nobody can find the key.

* * *

**Chapter Four:  
Flusssssssssssssssssssssh...**

As soon as he got out of here, Jin was going to die. Painfully.

Yusuke was sitting as close to the door as possible, trying not to move. If he moved, the plants would eat him. Most likely. He didn't care to find out if it was true, not since many of them had sharp teeth and saliva and gross stuff.

Jin had locked him in every single room in the place--or so it seemed. He'd been dragged up stairs, down stairs, through hallways and back when Jin lost his way.

Yusuke frowned as he tried to remember all the rooms he'd been dragged through. He smiled dryly as he remembered his favorite.

_He was standing in a room much like the one he had used to go to the bathroom. It was covered in white tile, with a countertop with a sink, and that white porcelain thing. Yusuke wasn't sure what it was called, but he knew what it was for. Bored out of his wits, he wandered over and pressed the handle. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. All the water drained out, only to be replaced by fresh. Yusuke stared at it for a moment before pressing again. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. After several "Flusssssssssssssssssssssh"es, Yusuke got bored again. He looked around for another source of entertainment, and his eyes landed on the roll of paper in some sort of rack. Curious once again (curiosity killed the cat, his mother had said, but did Yusuke ever listen to her? No.), he pulled. _

_A long strand of paper came out, and the more he pulled, the more came out. How fascinating. _

_Yusuke was pulling happily when the end of his long rope fell into the white porcelain thing. Curious again, he pushed the lever. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. Yusuke stared in amazement as the paper went down, pulling more with it. And more, and more, and more until it stopped. An evil gleam came into his eyes and he pushed again. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Flusssssssssssssssssssssh. _

_Chink. _

_Chink. _

_Chink. _

_Gurgle. _

_Water started spilling out of the thing, coming at a rapid rate. All the paper that had "disappeared" came out as well. Yusuke's eyes widened. This wasn't good... _

_He was all too happy when Jin opened the door a split second later and he quickly put the lid down so he wouldn't see. _

_"What's with all the water?" Jin asked, as they left. _

_"Oh, uh...the sink overflowed." _

_"It does that. MOVING ON!" _

Yes, that had been fun.

BUT FUN WAS NOT SITTING IN A ROOM FULL OF DEADLY MAN-EATING PLANTS!!

Okay, so he wasn't sure that they were man-eating. But they sure looked evil...he could've sworn they'd tried to eat him earlier...this was starting to freak him out. Plants couldn't eat people...only bugs with the Venus Fly Trap...and sunlight. Yes, light. The process of...something.

Odd that there wasn't really any light in the room...oh, there was some. Never mind, that was just some glowing plant.

_Glowing?_

He heard voices outside the door and hoped that Jin had come back to fetch him. He did not like this one bit...

"Jin, where's Yusuke?" Botan! She could save him from the mad flying boy!

"Uh...bathroom."

"Oh, okay." They left.

"Damn you, Jin!" Yusuke yelled, quickly shutting up when some of the plants moved.

"Yusuke!" That brought them back. There was ferocious pounding on the door before it stopped.

"Jin!" Botan demanded, "How dare you lock Yusuke in there! Where's the key!?"

"Uh...I kinda...uh..."

"WHERE IS THE KEY, JIN?"

"Uh...about that...I kinda...uh..."

"_Where is it?_"

"...down the toilet..."

"_What_?"

"Uh, guys?" Yusuke called, "I hate to interrupt, but I think they want to eat me..."

"Hang on, Yusuke, we'll get you out in a jiffy!" Botan called through the door, "HOW _DARE_ YOU, JIN! HE JUST GOT HERE AN HOUR AGO AND YOU'RE GOING TO SCAR HIM FOR LIFE! HE'LL NEVER TRUST YOU AGAIN!"

_I never trusted him to begin with,_ Yusuke thought.

"...I'm sorry?"

"YOU'D BETTER HOPE SO! NOW GO FIND KURAMA!" Yusuke perked up. Kurama? So he was here!

"Why?"

"He's got the key to this room, you IDIOT! It _is_ part of his rooms, you know!"

"Oh." Wait a minute..._his_ room? Kurama had a room full of deadly plants? What was he, suicidal?

"YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT?"

"...uh...no?"

"How did you get the keys, anyway? I thought there was only one key to this room, and he had it!"

"...well, about that..."

"JUST GO FIND HIM!" Her tone became softer. "Yusuke? Um, sit tight, Jin's gone to get the key from Kurama, and...he'll be back soon, and then you'll be out. Um, we can't pick the lock, because...it's one of Kurama's rooms...and...he's kind of...a lock expert. So...yeah. Just sit tight, don't move, don't speak, and you should be fine. Got that?" Yusuke squeaked in response.

"Good boy." Botan left, misinterpreting Yusuke's squeak. Yusuke watched the plants around him nervously. Who knew there were so many types of man-eating plants?

**..::--::..**

The plants were hungry. And Yusuke was still trapped in their room. Where was Botan with the key?

"WHAT DO YOU _MEAN_, YOU CAN'T FIND IT?" Botan's yell had started up another conversation, conveniently right outside his door. Yusuke listened. Not like there was much else to do...

"There are a lot of different places to search!" Jin protested, "I mean, there's the upstairs bathroom, downstairs bathroom, left, and right, and rock, and tree, and bush, and lake..."

"The LAKE? You used the LAKE?"

"...was I not supposed to?"

Another voice joined the conversation.

"Bad news." Yusuke had never heard that voice before...who could it be? "Kurama's not here."

"WHAT?"

"Don't yell at me, Botan! Hiei's searched all over the grounds and the house, and he couldn't find him."

"THAT'S NOT GOOD!"

"SHUT UP JIN!"

"Ok."

Another voice joined the conversation. Once again, Yusuke didn't recognize it.

"We found him!"

"What?"

"Where?"

"Um...about ten miles away."

"WHAT?"

"We're going to send Hiei after him."

"Send Jin," Botan snapped, "After all, it _was_ Jin who _started_ this problem in the first place."

"Do I get a cookie?"

"NO!"

"Yusuke?" Botan called, through the door, "We found Kurama. Don't worry, everything'll be fine. We sent Jin, and he's fast...in the air...reasonably...so, just sit tight...keep sitting tight...um...don't think about food, or going to the bathroom, or...uh...stuff like that."

_Thanks a lot, Botan._

"Ten miles?" he squeaked, voice cracking on the last word. The plants inched closer. Yusuke quickly shut up.

"He's still alive," Botan said, to somebody, "Uh-not that you could die in there or anything, just a private joke, ha-ha. Uh...buh-bye!" And Yusuke was left alone again. He wished he knew what time it was.

He was sure not even a minute had passed before the voices resumed.

"What do you_mean_, you're not going?! This is Yusuke's _life_ we're talking about!"

"I want a cookie."

"You'll get one later!"

"No. Cookie now." Jin was stubborn.

"Just give him a cookie," somebody said.

"I can't," Botan protested, "Touya hid them. Jin, where's Touya?"

"With Hiei, searching the toilets for the key."

The silence was ominious.

"Well, since all the keys to the house were on the ring...it's...a good idea."

"Jin, how could you?" Botan moaned.

"Cookie or I don't go."

"Botan, go get Touya to get Jin the cookie." There were reluctant footsteps heading away.

"Now, Jin," said a voice that seemed oddly child-like, "What toilet did you hide the keys in?"

"Uh...it was either the one downstairs or the lake."

"The lake."

"Yeah."

"The _lake_."

"Yeah!"

"The...LAKE?"

"YEAH! Now you've got it!"

"The _lake_?"

"YES ALREADY!!"

"You're not supposed to use the lake as a bathroom, Jin!"

"...oh...whoopsies..."

"All right Jin." Touya had come back, "Here's your cookie. Now go fetch Kurama."

"YAY!" There were a few various noises, and then silence. Yusuke was left alone with the plants--many of which were starting to creep towards him.

**..::--::..**

"Stupid Jin, STUPID Jin!" Botan fretted, pacing back and forth in the kitchen, "Of ALL the rooms, why'd he have tochoose that one? WHY WHY WHY?"

"Calm down, Botan," Yukina assured her, "Jin is fast-he will bring Kurama back."

"BUT WHAT IF THE PLANTS EAT YUSUKE FIRST? TOGURO'S GOING TO KILL US!"

"Botan!" Koenma reprimanded, hovering in the air, "Yukina is right--Jin will have Kurama back here any minute now, and this whole problem will be solved." The toddler sucked on his pacifier, content with his answer.

"I hope so," Botan sighed, "Or else Yusuke is plant food."

"FUN!"

"JIN! I THOUGHT YOU LEFT!"

"I came back because I ran out of cookies."

"Jin..." The vein pulsing in Botan's forehead was clearly visible. "Go. Get. Kurama. Now."

"But--"

"NO BUTS! GET HIM NOW!!"

**..::--::..**

Jin was going to die. REALLY die. Painfully. Hiei was just having trouble deciding how...

The short fire demon was on bathroom duty, searching_each_ and_every_ toilet in the house for the stupid keys that Jin had lost. Nobody had asked him if he wanted bathroom duty, it was "Hiei, Jin locked Yusuke in the Man-Eating Plants room and lost the keys in a toilet. Go find them." STUPID toddler! Who did he think he was? Prince of Reikai or something? Pshaw!

This was a _serious_ waste of his time. He could've been using this time to get used to his new katana, but noooooo, he had to look in all the toilets for the stupid keys to save the stupid newbie's life!

Now why was this hallway so wet? He wondered, as he trudged down it. He opened the bathroom door...


	6. Chapter Five: This Many Years

**So Far: **Having arrived at Toguro's plantation, Yusuke meets a bunch of new faces only to be locked in a room with many man-eating plants! Could this be the end of Yusuke?!

**This Chapter: **A reunion with an old friend reveals many things left unanswered.

* * *

**Chapter Five:  
This Many Years **

Yusuke was beginning to sweat. The plants had moved steadily closer, and one was almost touching his foot. He kept as still as he could, barely breathing, afraid for his life.

His stomach gurgled loudly.

_Oh, shit._ The plants all snapped to attention, turning their tendrils/roots/leaves/heads towards him. Yusuke cursed his stomach. He was going to die because he was hungry-but not from starvation!

As one, the plants all seemed to leap for Yusuke. He shut his eyes, waiting for the end to come.

**BOOM.**

There was a burst of blue light that Yusuke could see even through his closed eyes, and then there was silence. Yusuke was waiting so intently for the pain and death to come that he didn't hear the door open.

A long while passed. Nothing happened. Yusuke opened one eye cautiously. The other quickly followed.

Where the demonic plants had been a moment before, there were now small piles of ash. He couldn't tell what color they were, since it was dark, but he was pretty sure that those had been the plants. He crept over to it and reached out a tentative hand. He poked one, pulling his finger back as if he expected it to bite him. When it didn't, he poked it again. And again. And again.

"YEAH!" he exclaimed, "I killed it!"

"And that's a good thing?" Yusuke gave a small scream and whirled around to see the figure leaning casually in the doorway.

"Now I'll have to regrow them all," the figure said, frowning, "Thanks a lot." Yusuke didn't know what to say. He'd been almost _killed_, and this person said it was a bad thing he killed the plants instead?

"By the way," the figure said, moving into the room, "You could've turned on the light." He flicked a switch. "That scares them." Light flooded the room, and Yusuke had to cover his eyes. When he could see, he noticed that the few living plants in the room were shying away from the light, moving into the back of the room where there was none. Now Yusuke had a good look at the person.

His first thought was he looked vaguely familiar; and also vaguely feminine. He had long, brilliant red hair and bright green eyes. He looked as if he'd just come from a long, windy walk; there were sticks and twigs caught in his hair and his clothes were ripped in many places.

Where had Yusuke seen him before?

The person smiled, as if he was remembering a private joke.

"Hello, Yusuke," he said, and Yusuke's jaw dropped (for the third time that day), "It's been _this_ many years since I saw you last." He held up ten fingers, and looked as if he could barely keep himself from laughing, "Eleventy-four, remember?" Yusuke gaped at him.

"Kurama? Is that you?"

"No, I'm the Easter Bunny." Yusuke stared at him blankly.

"Who?"

"Never mind." Yusuke swore he could see Kurama sweatdrop, but the redhead quickly regained his composure.

"So, you too?" Kurama asked. Yusuke felt really stupid.

"What? What're you talking about?" Kurama sighed.

"You have powers too?"

"Oh! Uh...I guess...nobody tells me anything, so how should I know?" Kurama laughed.

"How exactly did you kill the plants?" Yusuke blinked.

"I dunno, I...just did. Something." Kurama came forward and extended his hand. Yusuke, remembering at that moment he was still sitting on the floor, took it and stood up.

"Come on," Kurama said, "We've got a lot to catch up on, but right now it's time for dinner." Yusuke's stomach growled again.

"That sounds like a good idea," Yusuke agreed, "But first I've gotta use the bathroom." Kurama nodded knowingly.

"One thing, though," Yusuke said, slowly, "Where is it?" He could've sworn Kurama was trying not to laugh.

"Go down this hallway," Kurama said, gesturing, "Turn right once you can't go any further and it's the fifth door on your left."

"Thanks." Yusuke bolted down the hallway, skidding around the corner and coming to a halt. Why was the floor wet? Unless...oh no. He wondered if he should go back and tell Kurama he changed his mind...but no. For the second time that day, he _really_ had to go.

He walked down the soaked hallway, his shoes squelching as he went. Soon he reached the fifth door on the left; but it was open. He peeked in.

Blood red eyes connected with his in a fierce glare.

"Not. A. Word."

"Uh huh," Yusuke said, nodding slowly. The person was short, dressed completely in black, and was soaked. His hair, which Yusuke assumed would be spiky when dry, was drooping, mostly black but with a white starburst in the front. He sloshed from his place next to the white porcelain thing out the door, passing Yusuke. Yusuke watched him as he went down the hallway; noticing with amusement that there was a piece of paper stuck to his back, and more trailing from his shoe.

Kurama appeared at the end of the hallway right before the short person turned the corner.

"Hiei!" Kurama exclaimed, "You've got--"

"NOT A WORD." Hiei turned the corner and was lost to view; Kurama sighed and shook his head.

"I was only going to tell him he's got toilet paper stuck to his shoe," he told Yusuke, coming up and peering in the bathroom, "Oh dear. Looks like the sink overflowed again. There's wet toilet paper all over the floor; I wonder why." He turned to leave, but then noticed something else. "Wait a minute..." He entered the room and crossed to the white porcelain thing. Yusuke noticed the lid had been opened and water was still spewing out.

"The toilet's overflowing!" Kurama exclaimed, "Jin..." Yusuke was glad that Jin was such a troublemaker. Kurama scowled and reached behind the toilet, fiddling with something Yusuke couldn't see.

"He just couldn't be content with locking you in, could he?" Kurama muttered, "There we go." The water stopped pouring out of the toilet. Kurama straightened up, wiping his hands on his pants.

"Remind me to tell Jorge the toilet overflowed," he said, to Yusuke. Yusuke nodded, not knowing who Jorge was. Kurama was still inspecting the toilet, "Looks like...somebody flushed toilet paper down it. Several times." Yusuke squirmed.

"What's this?" Kurama continued. He reached his hand into it and came up with something else-a large ring with several keys around it. "Looks like we found the spare keys." He pocketed them and then seemed to notice he was almost as wet as Hiei had been. "Darn...hey, Yusuke, I think we'd better find another bathroom for you to use. This one looks to be unoperational."

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed, as Kurama came out of the room and started off down the hallway.

"All right," Kurama said, as they reached a fork in the hall, "Listen carefully. Go left, take the first set of stairs you see, go up one floor and the bathroom is the first door on your right. Come back here, take that hallway-" he pointed, "-and I'll meet up with you there. If I'm not there, knock at the third door on the right. Got it?"

"Yes," Yusuke said, even though he hadn't.

"If you get lost, just follow the signs. They're for newbies, you know."

"Right," Yusuke said, and Kurama headed down the right fork. Yusuke took the left one; trying to remember all Kurama had said and not get lost.

Luck was with him; he made it to the bathroom, did his business and made it back without getting lost! Kurama wasn't in the hallway, but he came out just as Yusuke was about to knock on the door, dressed in clean clothes and neat.

"Good, you didn't get lost," Kurama said, "I'm surprised, most of the newbies get lost pretty easily."

"I guess I'm just special," Yusuke said. Kurama laughed gently and headed down the hallway, Yusuke in tow.

**..::--::..**

"So this is a...what again?"

"Sandwich," Kurama explained, as Yusuke took a large bite of his cold chicken sandwich, "Normally, we'd eat with the others, but since you're new they'll make an exception."

"Not bad," Yusuke said, spraying bits of chicken everywhere. Kurama put his own sandwich on a plate and headed back to the refrigerator.

"What do you want to drink?" Yusuke swallowed his large bite with effort before replying.

"I get a choice?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Uh...water's fine, I guess."

"Okay." Kurama shut the refrigerator with his foot and poured Yusuke a glass of water, then poured one for himself.

"Grab your meal," Kurama said, leading the way out the door, his own meal in hand. "We'll eat up in my room...don't mind the plants." Yusuke had no choice but to follow (he was doing a lot of following and wasn't sure he liked it). He was a little hesitant about going into Kurama's room-the last one hadn't been entirely pleasant.

But when Kurama pushed the door open, Yusuke was surprised.

The room wasn't filled with demonic plants. It was filled with various other plants, instead. The carpet was grass and moss, and along the walls were all sorts of plants, most of which were in bloom. Blood red roses climbed lazily up one wall. In one corner Yusuke was surprised to see there was a _living tree_, and at its base there was a small pool with a miniature waterfall that was lined with stones. And this was indoors?

"Don't mind the roses," Kurama said casually, walking over to his bed (which stood in another corner, and Yusuke was amazed that it was plant-free), "I hope you're not allergic."

"No," Yusuke said, in awe, "So you grow flowers?" Kurama nodded and gestured for Yusuke to come sit on the bed with him. Yusuke did so, now feeling bad for that comment he'd given Botan about men growing flowers earlier.

"It's my specialty," Kurama explained, as he took a bite of his own sandwich.

"Specialty...wait a second, does this have to do with those powers I keep hearing about?" Kurama nodded and finished chewing.

"Mm-hmm. Everybody here's got them-Botan, Hiei, Touya, Yukina, Jin, and you, of course. You wouldn't be here if you couldn't do something."

"But what's that supposed to _mean_?" Yusuke asked, getting thoroughly frustrated, "Nobody will tell me anything and I'm sick of it!" To his surprise, Kurama smiled and looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"How is this funny?" Yusuke demanded, "HOW IS IT FUNNY?"

"It's not," Kurama denied, although he was still smiling, "See, one of the things that's encouraged here is for you to learn--learn about the world, your powers--" Yusuke opened his mouth to say something, but Kurama cut him off. "--and yourself." That got Yusuke's attention.

"My...self?" Kurama nodded. Yusuke stared at him blankly. The redhead sighed.

"Finish your sandwich," he advised, "This is going to take a while."


	7. Chapter Six: Traditional Worries

**So Far: **Yusuke has at long last been freed from the man-eating plants room, and to top it all off, he's finally caught up with Kurama! Now Kurama's explained quite a few things to Yusuke...and Yusuke's left to mull it over.

**This Chapter: **Yusuke mulls it over.

* * *

**Chapter Six:  
Traditional Worries **

He was dreaming, he decided. Yes, that's it; this was all a dream. Now all he had to do was wake up...

He opened his eyes.

He was lying on a bed, which after a moment's thought, he remembered it as Kurama's. Yusuke hadn't wanted to take his bed, but Kurama had insisted. The other boy was curled up in a corner across the room, the nearby plants reaching out and gently intertwining around his slumbering form. Yusuke wondered how he could possibly be comfortable, but then remembered how soft the floor was. And it wasn't too hot, or too cold, so he was probably fine.

Yusuke sat up, running a hand through his hair as he thought back over the course of the day. So much had happened to him--it was hard to believe it wasn't a dream.

First of all, he'd destroyed a major part of Suzaku's crop, then literally flown to another plantation, escaping certain death at Suzaku's hands. Next, he'd been granted with a meeting with the _second_ Toguro and received a...what had Botan called it? A restraint. Yes, that was it, something to restrain powers he didn't even know he had. After that, he'd met the hyperactive Jin, been locked in multiple rooms, broke a toilet, and nearly died thanks to the man-eating plants. He'd killed them instead, met with an old friend, and then had had a long talk about things.

It was that talk that came back to him now.

Powers, they'd said. Yusuke had grown up believing that such things weren't real; they were only in myths and legends. People couldn't make things levitate by just using their minds; things didn't set on fire with the snap of someone's fingers. The temperature in a room didn't drop when someone thought about it, and people couldn't fly through the air on nothing. It was magic, and magic wasn't real.

True, Kurama had said. Magic wasn't real. Spirit energy, on the other hand, was, and practically all the things that could be done with "magic" could be done with spirit energy, depending on the user.

Yusuke hadn't understood a word he'd said.

Kurama had simplified it, explaining to Yusuke that each person possessed a certain amount of power—"Spirit Energy." It was very difficult for a human to access this power. You had to have a certain "oneness" with body and spirit, a oneness that Yusuke apparently had.

Yusuke had denied this until Kurama pointed out that he'd destroyed a whole field of Suzaku's plants _by himself_, and later done the same thing to Kurama's plants, both in the space of about two seconds. That, Kurama had said, was courtesy of the oneness of Yusuke's body and spirit. Yusuke had, unknowingly, harnessed his Spirit Energy and used it to destroy.

No, Yusuke had said. There can't be such a thing as that. It isn't possible.

Kurama had let him rant in denial for a few moments before silencing him. A moment later, Yusuke'd felt a dramatic increase of..._something_ in the room. He didn't know how to explain it, and hours later, he still couldn't grasp it. Something had been about to happen, and how Yusuke had known it he had no idea.

After all the plants in the room withered and died, however, Yusuke wasn't exactly in denial anymore. Especially after Kurama _grew back_ all the plants, just as they had been five minutes ago.

If anything, Yusuke was more confused now then ever. Ok, so he'd gotten that supernatural things could be done, and that he'd witnessed and performed some of these "tricks" himself, but...why? Why could he do this, and not someone else, say Kuwabara? And what did this have to do with being taken to Toguro's? Kurama then re-emphasized the "oneness" bit until Yusuke had finally gotten it and understood that not everyone had it.

But the redhead hadn't answered the second question, and Yusuke had stated that.

He didn't answer right away, and when he did, Yusuke got the feeling Kurama was hiding something.

So he'd cut him off and asked again.

It had been an even longer while before Kurama had answered, and his words still rang in Yusuke's head.

"We're here because we can all use our Spirit Energy like you can. Toguro recognizes this ability, and has us all live here where we can get proper training and learn to use our powers to their maximum."

And that was it. But instead of comforting Yusuke, it'd only opened up a new batch of questions and suspicions.

Teachers? Training? Yusuke honestly had no idea what that was about, but he wasn't worried. The only teachers he'd ever encountered were those that came to train Suzaku's warriors, and from what Yusuke had witnessed, that training was rather lenient. The soldiers had never broken into a sweat, and at the end of the lesson, they were doing intricate dances with their weapons that Yusuke was sure they hadn't been able to do beforehand. So if those big, clumsy oafs could learn something that fast, Yusuke wasn't worried. He was positive he'd do just fine.

But then there was that whole "to their maximum" thing. For some reason that was beyond him, the way Kurama had said it sent chills down Yusuke's back. Why? Yusuke didn't know, but he guessed there was some hidden meaning behind those words. But what?

Minutes passed, and Yusuke still hadn't figured it out. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he should lie down and try to sleep. Yes. Sleep sounded like a good idea. Besides, he was tired. He laid down again and tried to push Kurama's words out of his head. It was nothing.

But if it was nothing, why did he have a really bad feeling about it?

**..::--::..**

_Splash. _

Yusuke sat up with a yelp, now wide awake. Ice-cold water dripped off his hair and ran down his face, soaking the bed beneath him and his clothes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Kurama exclaimed cheerfully, and Yusuke saw he was holding an empty bucket, "It's about time you woke up!"

"Kurama, you..." Yusuke lunged at him and hit the floor as Kurama nimbly stepped to the side.

"Now, Yusuke," Kurama said, "I only woke you up because I thought you'd like to eat breakfast. It's in five minutes, after all."

"Breakfast?" Now Yusuke wasn't so mad at him. He leapt up from his position on the floor and made to smooth out his clothes. Only then did he realize he'd worn the same outfit for at least 24 hours straight. A fine impression he was going to make.

"Here." Yusuke barely caught the clothes Kurama threw at him. Startled, he looked up into the other's amused green eyes (Kurama was taller then him by a few inches). "Go in there—" Kurama pointed to a door Yusuke hadn't noticed before, "—and wash up. Be quick." He gave him a playful push towards the door, and Yusuke walked numbly towards it. Only after he had entered the bathroom and closed the door did he look at the clothes he held in his arms.

They were simple; just a pair of blue pants and a plain white t-shirt. But even that was better then what he was wearing now; his current clothes were scratchy and annoying. Quickly he donned the new garments, wet his hands in the sink and slicked his hair back and went out again.

Kurama had changed into fresh clothes as well, and he was waiting at the door.

"Shall we go?" Yusuke nodded enthusiastically and followed him out.

"So," Kurama asked, as they walked, "Did you sleep all right?" Yusuke nodded after a moment's hesitation. No sense bothering Kurama with what were probably childish fears. His friend raised an eyebrow.

"Really."

"Yes, really! What, you don't believe me?" Kurama shrugged and didn't reply. There was silence for a while until he spoke again.

"You should get your own room today. It's a tradition—the new people always sleep in somebody else's room the first night."

"Why?" He smiled.

"That's for you to figure out."

"Tradition?" He nodded.

"We have plenty of them. Don't worry, you'll catch on soon enough."

"I don't like the sound of that," Yusuke muttered. Kurama ignored that, but Yusuke was almost positive he was hiding a smile.

Yusuke followed Kurama absently, thinking again. This was all so strange...traditions? He knew about traditions, but didn't traditions usually exist in families? Not...

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

Yusuke jumped three feet in the air and screamed. Jin laughed.

"Jin," Botan scolded, "How many times do we have to tell you? NO FOG HORNS IN THE MORNING."

"Botan's cranky in the morning," Kurama whispered to Yusuke.

"I AM NOT." After Yusuke calmed down from the foghorn, he realized they were in the kitchen. Botan and Jin were there, Jin with...something...in his hand, plus a bunch of other people. Yusuke recognized Touya, Hiei (who still had toilet paper stuck to his back) and Yukina. Was it just him or did the two of them look alike?

"Hey," he said, looking from Hiei to Yukina, "Are you two—"

_You finish that sentence, you die._ Yusuke ended his sentence abruptly as he heard a voice in his head. Startled, he turned to look at Hiei, who was glaring at him. If looks could kill, Yusuke would be dead. _Very_ dead. Yusuke then remembered Botan saying something about "telepathic" and "Hiei"...in the same sentence. Oh, great.

"So this is the new one," said a voice, and Yusuke turned to see...a _toddler_?

"I am Koenma," said the toddler, his pacifier bobbing up and down as he spoke. Yusuke noticed that he was wearing a very, VERY large hat. It looked rather comical, especially with the words "Jr" that were tattooed on his forehead.

"You're a toddler!" was all he could say. That was the wrong thing to say.

"I AM NOT A TODDLER!" Koenma yelled, "I'm older then you and I've been here longer then you, so there! Hmph." He turned away.

"Don't mind him," Kurama whispered, "Everybody has the same reaction."

"I heard that."

"Touchy subject," Kurama finished.

"Ah." was all Yusuke could say. His stomach gave a loud rumble. "Uh, what's for breakfast?" Almost at once, everybody (except Hiei) smiled.

"What?" Yusuke asked, bewildered, "All I did was ask what's for breakfast!"

"Whatever you make," Kurama said calmly, "You're cooking." Yusuke's jaw dropped open in disbelief.

"Here," Touya stood up and grabbed a frying pan, handing it to Yusuke, who took it numbly. "Use this." Yusuke's mouth worked furiously for a moment before a stream of words flowed out of it, all along the lines of "I can't cook" and "You can't be serious". He continued on this train of thought for some time before realizing something—nobody was looking at him. His mouth closed as he looked at everybody strangely.

"What's with you? You act like you're hiding something or—" It was Botan who cracked first. The girl burst into hysterical giggles, which quickly turned into full-blown laughter. Laughter is contagious, and soon everybody was laughing—except for Hiei, who only smiled and said "hn." Yusuke couldn't believe this...they were laughing at him! What had he done? Confused, he turned to Kurama, who was struggling to contain his own laughter.

"What's going on?" Yusuke demanded. Kurama tried to give him an answer and failed miserably as he burst into laughter. Yusuke didn't think it was very funny—why couldn't somebody fill him in?

"It's all right," Kurama said, after he'd regained himself, "You don't have to cook breakfast, Yusuke. It's just a joke we play on the new people. Don't worry about it." Yusuke's eye twitched. " His arm, still holding the frying pan, worked by itself. It swung upwards and hit him in the face with it.

The girls gasped. Jin laughed. Touya and Kurama looked astonished. Hiei smirked.

Yusuke blinked once, then twice.

"Ow...that was stupid." Laughter exploded around the island again, and Yusuke strongly resisted the urge to hit somebody else with the frying pan.

"I'm sorry, Yusuke," Kurama said, grinning widely and not sounding sorry at all.

"I bet," Yusuke muttered, now in a foul mood.

"It's just a tradition," Touya explained, as he headed back to his stool, "You should have seen Botan when we did it to her!" Botan coughed and got up in a hurry.

"I think Yukina and I will cook breakfast," she said quickly, "Come on, Yukina, let's go." Yukina nodded agreement and stood up as well. The two of them began gathering food stuffs and things to cook with. Botan grabbed the frying pan that Yusuke was still holding and threw some eggs in it.

"Breakfast will be ready in a jiffy," she said, and turned back to cooking.

"So, Yusuke, let me introduce you," Kurama said, as he took a seat and gestured for Yusuke to do the same, "You already know Jin—"

"And I wish I didn't," Yusuke muttered. Jin grinned widely and his ears twitched.

"—Botan—" Botan waved a hand absentmindedly, "—Yukina—" Yukina turned from her cooking to smile gently at him, "—Touya—" Touya nodded, "—Hiei—" Hiei looked away, "—and Koenma." Koenma nodded sagelike. Kurama paused and looked around the table.

"Where's Jorge? And Genkai?"

"They're preparing for your lessons," Koenma said, "It's one of those days." Almost everybody groaned. "Don't give me that attitude! Let's see, you have Training with Genkai in the morning, lunch, then Education with Jorge until 3. All right?" Everybody mumbled agreement sullenly. Yukina and Botan placed platters of toast, eggs, and bacon on the table, as well as pitchers of milk, orange, and apple juice. Conversation broke off as people took what they wanted and began eating. Yusuke dug in happily.

"Don't fill up too much," Koenma advised, as Yusuke finished one plate and reached for seconds, "You can't Train on a full stomach!" He left the table; Yusuke paused with a second piece of toast halfway to his mouth.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"He's right," Touya said, "Training on a full stomach gives you cramps. If I were you, I'd finish that piece of toast, take a bit more bacon or eggs and be done with it." Yusuke shrugged and followed his advice.

"Lessons," Jin muttered, stabbing ferociously at his eggs with his fork, "What a way to ruin the day."

"Well, at least it's not the full day this time," Botan pointed out, "Remember last time, when Genkai kept us for Training all day?" There were moans as people remembered. Yusuke looked from one person to the other, confused.

" 'Lessons'?" He asked, when he couldn't stand it any more.

"Remember what I said about learning last night?" Kurama asked. Yusuke nodded. "Well, Genkai and Jorge are our teachers. Genkai helps makes us stronger physically, and Jorge improves our minds, knowledge, and common sense."

"Oh."

"Well," Botan said, as she finished eating, "Who's turn is it to do the dishes?"

"Our turn," Touya said, nudging Jin and standing up. Jin crammed bacon in his mouth and began clearing the table.

"We have a chores rotation," Kurama explained, at Yusuke's blank look, "Every day, different people cook different meals or clean up from them. You don't have to do any chores today, because it's your second day, but at dinner when we're all together, we'll work out something that involves you."

"Great." Kurama grinned and pretended he hadn't heard that.

"You only do them because you can do them," Yukina pointed out.

"When Kurama first came here, he couldn't help because he was too small," Hiei added. Kurama coughed and stood up.

"Let's...get to Training early," he suggested, "Perhaps Genkai will let us out that much sooner." His suggestion was greeted with agreement as the others stood up and left, Yusuke trailing along behind like a lost puppy dog.

"By the way, Hiei," Yusuke heard Kurama say, "You've still got toilet paper stuck to your back." The fire demon paused to rip it off viciously, crunch it into a wad, and chuck it at the back of Kurama's head. Kurama ducked at the last second, and the wad hit Yukina instead!

Hiei's eyes widened in shock, but Yukina apparently didn't feel a thing. She kept walking, chatting with Botan. Kurama said something to Hiei that caused Hiei to swing angrily at him, but Kurama side-stepped, still teasing Hiei about something that Yusuke couldn't hear.

"Hey, Yusuke! Wait up!" Distracted, Yusuke paused and turned to see Touya and Jin pelting down the hallway towards him. It wasn't long before they caught up.

"Thought we'd walk with you," Touya said, "So you don't have to feel like you're following everywhere."

"I wasn't feeling like that!" Yusuke said, denying it.

"Suuuure you weren't," Jin said, his tone implying he didn't believe Yusuke one bit, "Come on, Urameshi, I had the same feeling when I first got here! Then Touya befriended me and everything's been better."

"So...how long _have_ you been here?" Yusuke asked.

"Five years!" Jin responded, "That's two less then Touya."

"FIVE?"

"That's nothing," Touya said casually, "Kurama's been here for ten, and Hiei almost his whole life!"

" 'Almost'?"

"He'd kill us if we told you," Jin said pleasantly, "You'll have to ask him."

Touya stopped at a door.

"Are you ready?" He asked, placing one hand on the doorknob.

"Quit asking me stuff like that and just open the stupid door!" Yusuke growled. Touya shrugged.

"As you wish." He pushed open the door and the three of them entered, the door shutting behind them.

It was by far the biggest room Yusuke had ever seen. The opposing wall seemed to be miles and miles away, but it was just as long as the adjacent walls. The walls were bare, but looked to be sturdy wood, while the floor was solid cement. Yusuke couldn't even see the ceiling. Was there a ceiling?

"The ceiling is made of glass," Touya explained, "That's why it's so bright in here."

"I knew that!" Yusuke said. Jin rolled his eyes.

"Morning, students," said a voice, and all of them turned. Yusuke's eyes widened. _This_ was their teacher? But...but...

She was a _girl_. And short. And...old.

"I see we have a new student," said the person Yusuke could only assume was Genkai, "What's your name, boy?"

"Yusuke Urameshi." She came up to him, and stared at him intently before snorting and turning away.

"Hmph. Your Spirit Energy is pathetic. Are you sure Toguro chose the right person?"

"He destroyed a whole field of plants and most of the ones in my room," Kurama said.

"What was he doing in there?"

"Jin locked him in," Touya offered helpfully. Jin gave him a look.

"Some friend you are."

"Hm." Genkai turned back to Yusuke and surveyed him with a critical eye. "Perhaps you'll do. Enough time wasted; let's start the lesson."


	8. Chapter 7: Demonstrations and Education

**Author's Rant: **Before I revised the chapters, I had perhaps a two-page rant up here, but in hindsight, nobody likes long Author's Rants so I'll just restate in brief. **Do not demand something in a review. **This is, frankly, impolite, and practically tears me up to think all the readers want to know is what they won whensomeone doesa "contest", or when a certain character's coming in. I know most of you don't fit into that category, but for those who **_all _**they write is "UPDATE" or "WHERE'S THIS CHARACTER?!", this message goes straight out to you. That's not what reviews should be used for. I'm not saying you cannot _politely _ask me something (go ahead!); I respect your questions and try to answer every single one of them. But keep in mind there are some things I can't give away for the sake of the plot...you may like spoilers, but not everyone does.

**So Far: **Time to put all your worries about Toguro and traditions and new peopleand Spirit Energy behind--it's time to learn how to use some of that power Yusuke didn't even know he had.

**This Chapter: **One way to use Spirit Energy...ten ways to learn.

* * *

**Chapter Seven:  
Demonstrations and Education**

"So tell me," Genkai asked, "How exactly did you kill the plants?" Yusuke blinked.

"With...Spirit Energy, I guess." He and the other six (Botan, Yukina, Jin, Touya, Kurama, and Hiei) were sitting on the floor in a semi-circle around Genkai, who was pacing back and forth with her hands behind her back.

"Hmph. Was that your answer, or did somebody else tell you?" Feeling cornered, Yusuke glanced at the others for help but received none.

"Answer the question!"

"Kurama told me." She smirked.

"Of course. Now tell me, boy, how you killed the plants."

"Didn't I just answer that?"

"Be SPECIFIC."

"She means tell her what happened," Kurama whispered.

"Oh," Yusuke said, "Well, um, there was this big flash of blue light, and when I looked up they were all dead."

"Was there any sort of 'feel' to the blue light?"

"Uh...it felt powerful..."

"Did it remind you of anything?"

"Huh?"

"Like plants, water, fire..." Kurama whispered again. Genkai gave him a look and he fell silent.

"Why would it feel like anything?" Yusuke asked, bewildered, "Isn't Spirit Energy just...Spirit Energy?" Genkai sighed.

"I guess we'll have to do this the hard way," she said, "Listen up. Each person can use their Spirit Energy to do different things--what depends on the user. Good so far?"

"Yeah."

"So then it's safe to say everyone here can do different things with their Spirit Energy." Yusuke blinked.

"Whatever, Grandma."

"Show some respect towards your elders," Genkai snapped, "Hiei?"

"Hn?"

"Would you care to show the dimwit how Spirit Energy can be used?" Yusuke opened his mouth to protest that he was not a dimwit, but she glared at him and he closed it.

"Hn." Hiei sat up and turned one of his hands palm up. A moment later, a fireball came into existence like a match bursting into flame, hovering over the palm of his hand. Yusuke started.

"Remind me never to make him mad," he muttered, staring at the flame.

Genkai nodded in approval and turned to the others, who almost instantly placed their hands in the same position Hiei's was in. Yusuke watched, unsure of what was going on. But when a ball of ice manifested in Touya's hand, and another in Yukina's, he started to understand what was meant by "each person can use their Spirit Energy to do different things." He watched, amazed, as a ball of light floated gently over Botan's palm, while Jin held a loose globe of swirling sand, of which there seemed to be no middle. Yusuke knew Kurama would have some sort of plant-thing, but he was still astonished to see a sphere of vines in his hand, each vine sprouting buds that bloomed into flowers in a matter of seconds.

Yusuke could only stare.

"Good," Genkai nodded, and as Yusuke watched, the balls disappeared. The only traces of what had just happened were a small pile of sand in Jin's hand and three seeds in Kurama's, and those quickly disappeared.

"Do you see now?" Genkai asked. Yusuke nodded, open-mouthed.

"Good. It's your turn."

"Wait--you mean I'm going to get to make one of those ball thingies too?"

"Perhaps. Now pay attention! Take control of your Spirit Energy and gather as much as you can into your hand. DO IT!" she snapped, when he didn't.

Yusuke shrugged and tried to follow her instructions. It wasn't as easy as it looked. Spirit Energy was slippery and hard to grasp. Sweat broke out on his face as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to concentrate.

"Weakling."

"Be quiet, Hiei."

"Hn."

"Yusuke," somebody whispered, "Yusuke. You can open your eyes now." Yusuke opened one eye a crack, and was greeted with a soft blue light. He opened it fully, and then the other one as he saw what he'd done.

A rough ball of blue Spirit Energy floated above his palm, little tendrils of energy lashing out every which way.

"I did it!"

"Congratulations," Genkai said, "You've managed to do the smallest and perhaps most insignificant thing possible with your energy." Yusuke lost his grip on his energy; the ball disappeared with a crackle.

"Party pooper," he muttered.

"Now," Genkai continued, making no sign that she'd heard, "Since that probably exhausted all your reserves for the day, you'll get to see how Spirit Energy can be used for both defense and offense."

"Defense? Offense?"

"Fighting," Touya informed him.

"Oh..."

"The basic of all things, whether it's offensive or defensive, comes from controlling your Spirit Energy," Genkai continued, "Since we have time, we can show you how."

"You mean an actual fight?" Yusuke asked, sitting upright.

"You will not be taking part," Genkai snapped, "And it's not exactly a fight. Hiei, Kurama--" The two of them stood up and began walking a reasonable distance away.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on!" Yusuke exclaimed, "You mean they're actually going to fight each other? With blood and everything?"

"Dimwit," Genkai snapped, "Do you think I'd let two of my students almost kill themselves in a demonstration on offensive/defensive Spirit Energy? This is a _demonstration_, not a real fight." Yusuke breathed an audible sigh of relief and relaxed a little.

"That comes later." Yusuke looked up, horror-stricken, and was shocked to see Genkai was smiling.

"Do not worry," Yukina assured him, laying a hand on his arm, "Hiei and Kurama are excellent fighters. They've done this many times before, and not one of them has gotten hurt."

"Are you ready?" Genkai called, and received nods from the demonstrators, "Then--"

"If I may interrupt?" All eyes turned to the door, where Koenma was--floating.

"What is it?" Genkai asked, clearly annoyed, "We were just about to--"

"This is extremely important," Koenma interrupted, "You're needed, Genkai, NOW." Genkai rolled her eyes and turned back to the students.

"All right, listen up!" she ordered, "The demonstration will continue. Touya, you've seen this the most, you do the explaining. After you're done, you're free to go. Just don't let me catch you skipping any part of it!" She left the room with Koenma following. The door closed behind them.

"Well," Jin said, "That got rid of her."

"We should continue," Touya said, sighing, "At least now we can get through this faster. Whenever you're ready, guys."

Hiei immediately raced across the room, heading straight for Kurama, fist raised. At the last instant, Kurama stepped to the side, and Hiei pivoted to attack again.

"Spirit Energy lends Hiei the strength behind those punches," Touya explained, as Kurama swiftly dodged Hiei's continuous onslaught.

"Don't look so worried," Jin said, seeing Yusuke's face of horror, "It's just a routine. In a minute, Kurama's going to trip and have to make a shield to protect himself." Sure enough, Kurama slipped a moment later, flinging out an arm to catch himself. Hiei came in for the attack--

There was a brilliant flash of green light, and Hiei was flung backwards, landing roughly on the floor.

"That," Touya said, "Is called defensive Spirit Energy." Hiei got up off the floor. Yusuke turned his attention to Kurama, and saw that he was surrounded by a pulsing green light, which quickly pulsed out of existence.

Hiei drew his katana and twirled it once in front of him before holding it loosely at his side. In response, Kurama held out his hand. Rose petals appeared out of nowhere and leapt into the air, swirling around him in a miniature whirlwind.

"Petals and Thorns!" he called, and the petals sped up just a little bit.

"Both offensive and defensive," Touya explained, "The petals are as sharp as thorns--unless Hiei can get rid of them, he can't get close enough to attack." Hiei smirked, and his sword burst into flames. He charged forwards, sword at the ready, and swung.

His blade connected--a few of the petals caught on fire, almost instantly burning into nothing. The fire spread quickly from one petal to another, and soon Kurama's defense was just a small layer of ash on the floor.

"The fire came from Hiei's Spirit Energy, just as the petals came from Kurama's," Touya said.

"It gets better," Jin added, amused at Yusuke's open-mouthed shock, "Kurama's going to pull out a sword, and the two of them'll go back and forth for a while."

"Would you quit giving it away?" Botan hissed. Jin shrugged and turned back to watching.

He was right; in the moment he was talking, Kurama had created a sword out of a plant, and now he and Hiei were attacking each other so quickly it was nearly impossible to see what was going on. For Yusuke, it was impossible.

"I think we can cut the demonstration short," Botan said, "You've got the idea, don't you, Yusuke?"

"They're so fast," Yusuke muttered, still staring at the blur that was the demonstrators.

"They have to be!" Botan exclaimed, "They're two of our best!"

"You can stop now," Touya called, "We're done." They did so; and Yusuke was amazed to see that they hadn't even broken into a sweat.

"I'm hungry," Jin whined, as Kurama and Hiei returned to the rest of the group. Everybody laughed.

"Let's go get an early lunch," Kurama suggested, "I have a feeling Jin's not the only one who's hungry." Yusuke's stomach chose that moment to growl, and everybody laughed again before heading out to the kitchen.

**..::--::..**

Lunch was a quiet affair. It was Hiei and Kurama's turn to prepare it, and they pulled out simple but filling food--mostly consisting of breads, cheeses, and meats, with milk to drink. People ate their fill, and the conversation was mostly along the lines of what they'd done in Training past days, and what they'd probably do in the future. Yusuke listened with half an ear as he ate; drawing up his Spirit Energy had given him an appetite.

It was Jin and Touya's turn to do dishes again, and to Yusuke's surprise, they asked him to help.

"You can dry dishes," Jin said, handing him a towel, "I'm washing, and Touya'll put them away." Yusuke could hardly say no, so he helped, drying the dishes Jin handed to him, and then handing them to Touya. It was kind of fun, actually--especially when Jin got soap up his nose (at which point he had to leave to get it out, so Touya took over the washing).

"There," Touya said, handing Yusuke one last plate, "That's the last one." He let the water out of the sink and began putting the clean dishes Yusuke'd stacked on the counter away.

"That wasn't so bad," Yusuke admitted.

"I'm glad. You'll be doing a lot more of it once we get you on the chores rotation."

"Fun." Touya smiled.

"Depends on your definition of 'fun.'" The two of them left the kitchen, and Yusuke was careful to keep track of where they were going this time. Down the hall, take a left, go up the stairs...

He lost track once they ran into Kurama going the other way.

"Where are you going?" Touya asked, "Educations's this--"

"Out," Kurama sighed, "Jorge knows, so don't worry about me." Touya nodded; was it just Yusuke, or did the word "out" mean more than what was spoken? But he didn't have time to think about this; Touya was heading off again, so Yusuke quickly followed, glancing over his shoulder as Kurama headed down the stairs and was lost to view.

Education wasn't as bad as Yusuke thought it would be. Jorge was a kindly person, though he was big, bald, and...blue! What hair he had left grew around the top of his head down to his shoulders, so his very top was bald. He had a horn, and his fingernails were extremely long, like claws. Yusuke wondered how he'd gotten blue, but didn't find an opportunity to ask.

Jorge had been astonished to learn Yusuke couldn't read, and had immediately gone about teaching him how. So now Yusuke was sitting in a corner with a bunch of papers all bound together--a "book", Jorge had called it. Each piece of paper had a drawing on it, and then some letters underneath the picture. Yusuke's task was to figure out what the letters said, with help from the picture. Needless to say, it wasn't as easy as it looked.

All too soon, the lesson was over. Yusuke handed the book back to Jorge and left with everybody else.

"Where's Kurama?" he heard Botan ask, "He didn't show up for the whole lesson."

"He's out," Touya replied.

"Ah," Botan said, and didn't say any more. Now Yusuke was sure that the word "out" held more meaning then it appeared, and he was determined to figure out what.

"Out where?" he asked. Nobody replied, but the looks they all exchanged told Yusuke they were definitely hiding something.

"All right, what is going on here?" Yusuke demanded. There was silence before Hiei answered.

"Hn. Why would you care?"

"Because Kurama's my friend!" Yusuke protested, "And if something's happened to him, I want to know!" There was silence again.

"You mean...you don't know?" Botan finally asked, clearly buying for time. Yusuke gave her a look as if she were crazy.

"No," he said, "Because nobody tells me ANYTHING." There was a pause.

"Well--" Yukina started.

"Why don't we go talk in here?" Botan interjected, gesturing towards a door.

"You don't want to," Touya said quickly, "That's Chu's old room." Botan quickly jerked her hand away from the handle.

"Oh, you're right. Let's go in...here!" Botan moved to a different door.

"That's the bathroom," Hiei pointed out. Botan turned away, blushing furiously.

"Eh heh heh heh...I knew that..."

"What about in here?" Jin asked, going over to another door and opening it.

"That's Rinku's old room," Yukina said, moving to look in herself.

"It'll do," Touya assured her, "Nobody'll come in here." He headed in; everybody followed.

The room was dark to begin with--it got darker once Hiei closed the door. Even when Botan flicked on the light, it still looked dark--or musty, rather. That was when Yusuke noticed the layer of dust over everything--the small bed and nightstand in the corner, the dresser, the closet door, the rug, even the lamp. It looked like it hadn't been used in years--whoever Rinku was, he must've been here a long time ago.

"Watch for dust," Botan told him, cheerfully, as everybody found a place to sit--Hiei on top of the dresser, Botan, Yukina and Touya on the floor, and Jin in the air. Yusuke took a seat next to Botan, wondering what on earth they were doing in there.

"So where's Kurama?" he asked. There was yet another silence before Touya spoke.

"We don't know."


	9. Chapter Eight: What Toguro Really Does

**So Far: **A hectic training session reveals that Yusuke's got much to learn...a missing friend reveals the first of many hidden truths.

**This Chapter: **A heart-to-heart talk with the rest of the slaves.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Eight:  
What Toguro Really Does**

"We don't know."

It took Yusuke a moment for Touya's words to register in his brain.

"You...you...what do you MEAN, you don't KNOW?"

"If we knew, do you think we'd be sitting here?" Hiei retaliated.

"We want to know just as much as you do, Yusuke," Botan added.

"Please, just let us explain things," Yukina begged, "It will make a whole lot more sense--I promise." Yusuke folded his arms and waited for them to continue.

"You know what a job is, right?" Touya asked. Yusuke nodded.

"Do you know the difference between volunteer work and job work?"

"The volunteers don't get paid." Touya nodded.

"How about between volunteer work and forced labor?" Pause. That bad feeling Yusuke'd had the night before was coming back.

"You mean like slaves?" he asked.

"Even the volunteers," Botan cut in, "Get some small reward for what they've done--even if it's so small as the gratitude of those they worked for or the feeling of a job well done."

"And?" Yusuke was starting to get really annoyed with all this beating around the bush. Why couldn't they get to the point?

"We're not ordinary slaves," Touya began.

"Well, yeah, I gathered--"

"There's more," Jin cut him off.

"Can we get to the point?" Yusuke asked, on the verge of insulting somebody.

"Toguro sells us," Hiei said flatly, "He sells our abilities to those who will pay for them." Yusuke froze.

"What," was all he could say. And even that came out as a whisper.

"Let's say you're really, really hot one afternoon," Touya said, "And you've got a lot of money. You can give a very, VERY large amount of it to Toguro, and he'll make either Yukina or me go and cool you down with our ice."

"Or, if you needed to be somewhere faster then you can walk," Botan added, "You'd pay Toguro, and he'd tell me to ferry them where they needed to go." Now Yusuke understood why Kurama's words had put such a chill into him.

"To the best of our abilities," he'd said. No wonder--Toguro obviously wanted them to be that good so they could do these "jobs" and make him more money!

"C-can't you refuse?" he asked.

"The bracelets won't let us," Hiei said sourly, "Do you think we haven't tried?"

"...what happens?"

"You don't want to know," Botan cut in, quickly.

"All right, but..." A horrifying thought occurred to Yusuke, and he looked up quickly. "What happens...if you can't do anything?" There was a long pause.

"That happened to Chu and Rinku," Yukina said quietly, "Toguro couldn't find any use for their powers, so...he sold them." There was yet another pause. Everyone seemed to be waiting for Yusuke to say or ask something, but he really didn't have a comment to make. Slaves were sold all the time, right? So this really wasn't that big of a deal...

"So," he finally said, swallowing, "That's where Kurama is right now? On one of these...jobs?" More nods. "By himself?"

"Don't be stupid," Hiei cut in, "Toguro wouldn't trust us alone on one of the jobs he gets paid to do-even with the bracelets. One of his henchmen is with Kurama--have no doubt about that." Yusuke nodded--it was cruel, but it made sense.

"So...where is he?"

"We don't know," everybody chorused. Yusuke shook his head.

"No, that's--not exactly what I meant. Uh...what're Kurama's abilities again?"

"Plants," came the automatic response. Well, that made sense: the Man-Eating Plants room was Kurama's, right? And his sphere in Training had been of plants, so of course he could control them...

But then Yusuke remembered something else. Why he'd been sent to Toguro's in the first place. He'd ruined a whole field of Suzaku's crops...a fifth of the total production, if he remembered correctly. Kurama could control plants...and...Yusuke's stomach sunk even further as he suddenly knew where Kurama was. He opened his mouth to say so.

The door was flung open, brighter light flooding the room. Yusuke (along with everybody else) looked up to see somebody standing in the doorway. But Yusuke didn't recognize him... "Um," that somebody said, "What's going on here?" As Yusuke's eyes adjusted to the brighter light, he realized that the new person had the words "Jr" written on his forehead, and he was sucking on a pacifier. Just like Koenma...

"Koenma!" Botan exclaimed, sitting up on her knees, "Uh...Yusuke, this is Koenma's other form...he's not a toddler all the time, right? Yeah, uh..."

"What are you all doing in Rinku's old room?" Koenma asked. Yusuke still couldn't believe this--he wasn't a toddler anymore?

"Uh..." Botan faltered.

"Telling scaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarey stories!" Jin added helpfully, making a "scarey" face. Koenma raised an eyebrow.

"Really. And...you tell these stories with the light on?" People nodded and made affirmative noises. Koenma rolled his eyes. "What were the stories about?"

"Uh...uh...uh...about a thief!" Jin said, thinking fast, "Um...his name was Yoko Kurama, and...he...was known as the King of Thieves, because...he was good at stealing stuff! And…he had a partner named...Kuronue, and..."

"All right, I've heard enough," Koenma said, "I just wanted to know where you all were--carry on." He left, closing the door behind him. Everybody let out a sigh of relief.

"That was close," Yukina commented.

"Too close," Hiei agreed, "Next time we may not be so lucky."

"Good cover up, Jin," Botan praised him, "When did you come up with that?"

"I just did," Jin said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Technically, we're not supposed to be telling you about this stuff," Touya explained, "You're supposed to learn about it later, when we're all together, but...since you asked..."

"What were you going to say, Yusuke?" Yukina asked politely.

"Uh..." Yusuke stared open-mouthed at the wall before remembering, "Oh yeah. This job of his...is it going to...you know, hurt him?"

"No!" Botan responded quickly. Too quickly.

"The least it'll do is drain him of some of his energy," Jin followed up, "The job must not be too far away--Botan would have flown him and his chaperone if it was."

_Okay, that rules out Suzaku,_ Yusuke thought, _Suzaku's got to be at least twenty miles away, maybe more. Long way to walk..._

"It depends on his chaperone," Hiei reminded them, "If it's one of Toguro's minor overseers, then we have nothing to worry about. If it's Bui...or worse..." He broke off, letting his sentence hang in the air, unfinished. A shudder ran through the group. Yusuke looked from one person to the next.

"What is going on here?" he demanded, "Tell me. Now."

"Iron-clad?"

"But there's worse then Bui," she continued, skipping over his question, "Especially for Kurama. If Toguro's sent Karasu with him..." she broke off. Yusuke turned to Touya.

"Karasu?"

"You know how we can all use our Spirit Energy?" he asked. Yusuke nodded. "Well, so can most of Toguro's men. We've never seen what Bui can do, but Karasu flaunts his power, throwing it in our faces as often as he can. He likes to think he's better then us because he's not a slave, and we are."

"So what can he do?"

"Bombs," Hiei said flatly, "All kinds of bombs imaginable. Make sure he never touches you--his hands are his main vessel for his power. And he doesn't need them to attack you." Yusuke stared at him, horrified.

"It gets worse," Jin said, crossing his legs to sit Indian-style in the air, "Of all of us, Karasu has this...thing for Kurama. Special attention, you could call it. He'd jump for any chance to get close to him--any chance to torment him." Now Yusuke was feeling ill...torment? He really, _really_ did not like the sound of that...

"It's one of the few things Kurama's afraid of," Hiei remarked, "Especially since he can't do anything to protect himself when Karasu's around. Karasu cannot enter our house--so whenever he and Kurama meet, Kurama always has his bracelet on. And--"

"Let me guess," Yusuke cut him off, "The bracelet won't let him harm any of Toguro's dogs." Hiei nodded grimly. "So he's completely helpless." Another nod; now nobody was looking at him. They'd all become too interested in the floor, or their feet. Yusuke looked from one person to the other, and suddenly it all became too much.

"How can you let this happen!?" he yelled, sitting up on his knees, "Kurama's out there losing his energy to grow back some stupid idiot's crops, and he's probably getting tortured by an insane overseer! How can you let this happen to him!?" Nobody responded.

"You're telling me you're just going to let this happen to you?! You're just going to sit back and let Toguro do this to you?! There's got to be _something_ we can do!"

"We've tried--" Yukina started weakly. He rounded on her.

"And this is as far as you've gotten!? You're not trying hard enough! I mean, I've heard of slaves, but this is going too far! This is _torture!_ It's not right!"

"We know that, Yusuke," Botan started, "But Yukina's right; we've tried..."

"So you're giving up, is that it?!" He was on his feet now, all his sickness and worry turned to anger, "You're just going to sit back and _die_ as a slave? Die with the knowledge that you could have done something, but never did? Die letting someone else take your place in this torture house? Is that it!?" He took a breath. "There's got to be _something_ we can do!" His speech concluded, Yusuke looked at them, trying to see their faces in the dim light. Why weren't they reacting? This wasn't _right_, dammit! How could they let this happen?

Soft laughter filled the room, and Yusuke whirled around just in time to see the door fling open. Light flooded the room again, and he could just barely make out three silhouettes standing in the doorway. One large, one floating, one small...

"You see?" Genkai said, smiling, "I told you he'd be perfect." She turned to Yusuke, "Congratulations, dimwit. You've passed the test."

"Test? What test?" Yusuke was confused. "What's going on?"

"It's like this," Botan informed him, "We haven't given up--in fact, we've still got a million plans we have yet to try. Even as we speak, Kurama is undertaking his own escape attempt--there's no way we're going to die as slaves. But we had to make sure we could trust you."

"No hard feelings," Jin broke in, grinning like a madman, "We do this with all the newbies." Yusuke's eye twitched.

"Come on," Touya added, "It wouldn't do for us to tell you all our plans and then have you turn out to be a spy of Toguro, now would it?"

"I guess not..."

"Then it's settled," Koenma said, nodding sage-like, "Yusuke Urameshi, welcome to our secret organization-the Freedom Slaves."


	10. Chapter Nine: One of Us

**Author's Notes: **This chapter marked the official beginning of the Writer/Reader Reversal contest, which nobody really enters. Bummer. It also marked the day Niyali got DSL, with the promise of faster/more updates. We know now that DSL only led to more Internet surfing...and less updates. Funny how those things work.

**So Far: **Yusuke's learned exactly what the "Freedom Slaves" are for--for jobs that Toguro forces them to do. And for the money Toguro makes off it--even if it could mean one of their lives.

**This Chapter: **Yusuke contemplates his meaning to the Freedom Slaves while Kurama struggles to avoid the sadistic desires of Karasu.

* * *

**Chapter Nine:  
One of Us**

Dewdrops sparkle in the moonlight, reflecting off of every blade of grass and leaf. Stars twinkle overhead--there isn't a cloud for them to hide behind. The night is cold, despite how hot the day was. It's so quiet, so peaceful. How could anybody not enjoy such beauty?

But even the stillest water will ripple when somebody touches it, and then the illusion of calm is ruined. It is the same tonight, as a cry of pain shatters the stillness.

In a small clearing, one of the only areas where the trees allow a clear glimpse of the stars, Kurama lays on the ground, clutching his right arm. Blood flows around his hand, staining his sleeve and dripping onto the grass that is beneath him.

A boot connects with his ribcage, and he is flung backwards, connecting with a tree and sliding down to rest on the ground.

"Are you tired already?" a voice mocks, "We have a long way yet to go, and we must be at the plantation by morning." Kurama grits his teeth against the pain--if only he didn't have the cursed bracelet! "Of course, if you're too tired to walk..." The speaker steps into the moonlight, which reflects off his long black hair. "...I could always carry you."

That is enough for Kurama. He struggles to stand, ignoring the pain in his arm and the slight annoyance breathing has become.

"You will never touch me," he whispers roughly, "Karasu." Karasu smiles, but Kurama can't see it, for Karasu's mouth is covered by his mask.

"We will see about that, my dear slave," Karasu murmurs, purple eyes shining with a strange and spooky light, "We will see."

**..::--::..**

Yusuke was getting heartily sick of midnight revelations, but he couldn't sleep again.

He had his own room, now--up in one of the towers. Jin's room was right above him. Yusuke didn't think he wanted to know what all the banging was about. He half-expected Jin to fall through the ceiling at any time. That would be funny.

Or not, since it was his room.

He'd gathered that the people he now lived with were strange, but he didn't think they were _that_ strange.

Well, maybe not. What was so strange about wanting to escape slavery? All the slaves wanted it. But how many did he know who would try and keep trying until they either died or succeeded? Let's see, if he counted himself...

Ten. Before yesterday...

Zero.

Jin, Touya, Kurama, Hiei, Jorge, Genkai, Koenma, Yukina, and Botan. They'd tried numerous escape plans (and they kept a _record_ of all of them), and when each one failed, they came up with another one. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" was quite literally their motto.

Was he one of them? True, he was just like them--in captivity, at least. But it seemed that compared to them, he was just a raw amateur.

Did he deserve to escape? If one of them could, would it be him? The others had been there longer--they had seniority.

Did he belong here?

_Crash._

His train of thought was promptly interrupted as Jin fell through the ceiling, landing with a thud on Yusuke's floor.

"Jin," Yusuke moaned.

"Sorry," Jin apologized, getting up, "Didn't mean to do that!" Seeing the look on Yusuke's face, he frowned. "What's the matter, Urameshi?" Sighing, Yusuke told him. Jin's frown deepened.

"Of _course_ you belong!" he exclaimed, "Why would you think you don't!? You're one of us now, Urameshi-and I don't know what slaves were like at Suzaku's but here it's all for one and one for all. Nobody gets left behind--no matter what." When Yusuke remained silent, he continued, "Don't worry about it! It doesn't matter who you are, or what you look like--short, tall, fat, if you have horns--" he pointed to his horn for emphasis, "--or fangs, or a third eye, it doesn't _matter_. You're one of us now. And _that_ is all we really care about." He grinned. "Now, if you don't go to sleep, I'll make another hole in the ceiling--this time it'll be one you can't fix!" Yusuke laughed; Jin grinned wider and flew up to his room. After a few bumps, he was quiet. Yusuke found himself dropping off to sleep whether he liked it or not.

_One of us..._

**..::--::..**

Morning came all too soon. Yusuke was literally pulled out of bed, locked in his bathroom until he was clean, and dragged down to breakfast by the too-cheerful, too-energetic Jin. However, when the two of them entered the kitchen, the mood was in no way happy. Jin seemed to sense this and sobered down.

"No sign of him," Touya said, blandly, as the two sat down and helped themselves to some food.

"I wish we knew where he was," Yukina sighed, pushing some eggs around on her plate, "I hope he's all right." Yusuke didn't need to ask who "he" was. He was pretty sure he knew.

"Lessons?" he asked, instead.

"Not today," Botan replied, "It's because of Kurama's absence--we find it's harder to focus when we don't know where our friend is." Hiei entered the kitchen, the look on his face grim.

"Karasu's gone," he reported. Everyone looked horrified.

"Poor Kurama," Yukina murmured.

"We've got to do something!" Jin exclaimed, slamming his fist down on the table.

"And what are you proposing we do?" Hiei asked, turning his red eyes towards him, "We can't interrupt his job--Toguro would have a fit and kill us all!"

"But we have to do something!" Jin protested, "We've at least got to find him--maybe if we go after him, Karasu'll be more reluctant to harm him-"

Yusuke's fork hit his plate with an audible _clank_. All eyes turned towards him.

"What's wrong?" Botan asked, seeing Yusuke's wide-eyed expression as he stared straight ahead. He slowly turned towards her.

"I think I know where Kurama is."


	11. Chapter Ten: Shattered Mirror

**_Hello readers! _**

As per fanfiction.net rules, all conversations between Arashi and I in the authors notes have been removed in both the Tournament and this story. So from now on, it's just Niyali... 

((Arashi in the background cries)) 

...because we can't have script format if the story isn't written that way. Stinks, doesn't it? 

Well, on a happier note, 99 REVIEWS! THAT'S THE MOST I'VE EVER GOTTEN! EVER! I would have had a party for you if we got 100, but I'm tired of waiting for that one lone review to sneak it's way in to my inbox...oh well. BUT, since we're not going to have a party this time, I've got a challenge for you! My goal: 125 reviews by the time Chapter Twelve comes up! That gives you this chapter and the next to reach that goal! And if we make it, I've got a surprise for everybody! So click that button and send in a review! 

One more reminder: The Writer/Reader Reversal is well underway! If you don't know what we're talking about, check our bio or email us for the information! And tell your friends! If we get enough submissions, we might give out first and second prizes as well... 

Moving on! I promised those of you who guessed where Kurama was a cookie... well, homemade cookies of THE REVIEWER'S CHOICE go out to the following people: 

Dragonflyr 

LoneWolf7423 

aqua-flames 

Koritsune Dragonrider 

Dancer Of Falling Rain ****

YAY! Enjoy cookie! *eats her own cookie* 

Main characters this time around: Kurama, Karasu, and Kuwabara! ...hey, their names all start with K! 

Minor characters: Hiei, Keiko, and Shizuru! 

Please review so we can reach 125 by chapter 12! 

Chapter Ten:   
Shattered Mirror 

_Note: All words written like ~this~ are telepathic communications_

Kuwabara woke up in the middle of the night. He rolled over in bed. 

"Hey, Urameshi, are you-" Kuwabara dropped his sentence mid-word as he remembered. Yusuke had been gone for three days now. And it was going to be much, much longer. 

Sleep wasn't going to come again. He got up and began to get dressed. A little lost sleep tonight wouldn't matter; it was the slaves' day off. 

He couldn't help but glance at the cot that stood in the corner of the room. Yusuke had never bothered to make his bed, so the fact that it was made now stood out like a sore, more then hinting that something was wrong. 

A puzzle piece was missing, and it was going to be hard to find another one to fit in the hole it had left. 

Kuwabara quickly left the room. He could barely stand being in there anymore-too many memories of his friends that had been sold to Toguro. First had been Kurama...Kuwabara didn't really have too many memories of him, but he did remember the three of them in the same room, he and Yusuke looking up to Kurama's older age of five. How stupid that seemed, now that he thought back on it. 

Kurama had been first, and Yusuke was next. 

The room had more memories of Yusuke. His bed, the small chest at the end of it that had held his clothes-Kurama's bed had been removed soon after he left. Doubtless Yusuke's would soon follow, and then Kuwabara would be able to sleep in peace in his own room. His room. Nobody else's. 

...was that a good thing? 

The sky wasn't even close to getting light, so nobody else was awake. Good. Kuwabara wanted to think for once, and he didn't want anybody else to come up and interrupt him. Yusuke had always joked about how Kuwabara didn't have a brain-well, he had one, and right now he was going to use it! 

What Kuwabara didn't know was that somebody else was up at this hour. More than one somebody, in fact. 

And what was more, he knew one of them. 

Kuwabara was heading to his "secret thinking spot" (it's so secret, the author doesn't even know its location) when something stopped him. He didn't know how, but suddenly he just _knew_. Somebody was using a great amount of...something (it seemed like...energy. Personal energy.) to do something nearby...and what was more, it was costing them a lot. 

All thoughts of thinking now gone, Kuwabara turned to head towards the source of power. His eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open in shock. 

_What...what is going on here?_ Over the tree tops, coming from the field Yusuke had somehow killed, there was a large green glow. It was like the Aurora thing Kuwabara had heard of, that thing that only happened further north, where it was cold all the time. Flickering, wavering, colorful lights, lights that danced across the sky. 

Except that this light was green, and seemed to be confined to only that field. 

Kuwabara's feet moved of their own accord, and he found himself walking-running, actually-towards the field. He stopped and hid in a nearby bush, peering out at the scene. His eyes widened even further. 

Standing at the edge of the field were two men. Correction, one of them was standing, his long black hair blowing slightly in the the breeze, purple eyes emotionless as he stared at his companion. His companion was on his knees, hands extended slightly an inch of the ground. Sweat ran down his face to drip on the ground, or to mingle in his brilliant red hair. Kuwabara could have sworn he'd seen that hair color before...but where escaped him right now. The source of power was coming from this person-he was glowing with green light, and so was the field-no! The field wasn't glowing. It was _growing_. 

As Kuwabara watched, the glow flickered, finally disappearing altogether. 

"What is this?" the standing man asked. The kneeling man exhaled slowly before opening his eyes. The green shade of them almost matched the power that had flowed over the field, but while the field was covered in half grown stalks of sugar cane that were flourishing with health and energy, these eyes seemed tired. 

"That is all I can do," he whispered, exhaustion creeping into his voice. 

"You little liar," his companion hissed, and promptly kicked him. The redhead went flying a good distance away before landing roughly on the ground. Kuwabara winced. "We both know you can do better than that! We're not leaving until each and every stalk of sugar cane is back to the way it was. Now get up and keep working." When he didn't, the black haired stranger strode over to him, seized a fistful of his hair and sharply pulled him up. The redhead gave a small cry of pain. 

"Please, Karasu," he whispered, "It's the bracelet-if you'd take it off, I could do much more..." Kuwabara assumed he was talking about the silver bracelet that circled his wrist. Strange...although there was plenty of blood running down his arm from multiple wounds (none of which looked pretty), the bracelet seemed to shine-there was no blood on it. 

Karasu did not seem happy with this answer. 

"You are a liar," he hissed, and dropped his fistful of red hair, causing his companion to fall to his knees and reach blood-stained hands up to his head, "Take the bracelet off, you say...you can do more, you say...how much more? Enough to finish the job? Enough to...kill me? Is that what you would do, Kurama?" 

_Kurama?_ That...that person...the one who'd been emitting so much power...that was _Kurama_? 

Even as he watched, Karasu swiftly knelt and laid a hand on Kurama's shoulder, who immediately flinched and drew back. But the damage was done. There was the sound of a small explosion, and Kurama screamed in pain, moving his right hand to clutch at his left arm, which was pouring blood. 

"And you say remove it?" Karasu asked, moving his hand towards one of Kurama's legs. 

"No!" Kurama cried, scuttling backwards, "No, please-" His sentence was cut off as there was yet another explosion and blood began trickling down one of his legs. 

_How did he do that_? Kuwabara wondered, horrified, _He didn't even touch him-how can he do this?!?_ It was horrible. Kuwabara had never seen so much blood in his life-and yet he couldn't look away. How could this Karasu hurt his childhood friend like this? Why couldn't Kurama defend himself? He had power...of some sort. Kuwabara knew the green stuff was his power...so why didn't he do anything? 

At last the explosions stopped. Kurama was sitting in a puddle of his own blood, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the puddle grew larger. 

"Shall I remove it now?" Karasu asked, reaching a hand for Kurama, who shook his head and moved backwards again. "Then continue. And this time, finish the job." Kurama weakly placed both his hands on the ground, ignoring as his own blood washed over them, and closed his eyes. Green lit up the night again, and the plants continued to grow, reaching out their leaves and stretching, reaching for the sky. 

"Enough," Karasu said finally, and the green light disappeared like a snuffed candle flame, "I will be at the Big House, catching up on sleep. I suggest you drag yourself off this field and get some for yourself. As soon as it is fully light, we head for Toguro's." His tone became softer, gentler, "Of course, if you're too hurt to walk..." 

"No!" Kurama said, "No, I'll be fine..." 

"We shall see," Karasu said, his eyes sparkling with glee, "We will see." He turned and walked off the field; Kuwabara shrank back in his hiding place as he went by. He waited until he was sure Karasu wasn't going to come back before running out onto the field and over to where Kurama was still sitting. 

"Kurama," Kuwabara said, kneeling down next to his injured friend, "It's all right, I'm going to help you-" He moved to put an arm around his friend. Kurama jumped back. 

"No..." he whimpered, "Please, no..." 

"Kurama, it's me!" Kuwabara said, desperation coming into his voice, "It's Kuwabara! Remember? We played together when we were young, until Toguro took you away...don't you remember?" A bloody hand gripped his shirt, and he looked into Kurama's green eyes for the first time in years. 

"Kuwa...bara?" Kurama whispered. Kuwabara nodded. 

"Yes," he said, "We've got to get you someplace where you can rest...can you walk?" 

"...I can...try..." Kuwabara slipped his arm around Kurama, pulling his wounded friend's arm around his shoulders. Gently he lifted Kurama off the ground and to his feet. 

"Lean on me," he suggested, "One step at a time..." Kurama was weak with blood loss and exhaustion-it was obvious he couldn't travel very far. That ruled out the slave quarters...at this rate, it would be morning before they got there. So where else could he take him...of course! His "secret thinking spot!" Nobody would find him there, at least not for a while. 

He steered Kurama down towards the creek, offering words of encouragement every few steps. How could Karasu do this to him? How could _anybody_ do this to a fellow human? It was cruel! It wasn't right! It was just...just plain wrong... 

Kurama was lost in a haze of pain and exhaustion. So many plants...so much blood... 

"Here," he heard Kuwabara say, "Just sit down here and lean against the tree. That's it." Kurama felt himself sitting on grass, felt bark and wood behind his back. Gratefully he leaned against it. As if it felt his pain, the tree moved, reaching out for him and gently twining a root around his hand. 

"I need to go get somebody," Kuwabara was saying, "I'll be back...don't go anywhere..." Kurama forced his eyes open and grabbed Kuwabara's shirt with his free hand. 

"Please," he whispered, staring at Kuwabara's face with half-open eyes, "Please...not yet..." 

"But I have to!" Kuwabara protested, astonished that Kurama would protest his leaving to get help, "You need help!" 

"Not yet," Kurama whispered, "Kuwabara...I need you to...do something for me." Kuwabara snapped to attention. 

"What?" 

"You...have power. I need you...to use it...you have to...help me...contact somebody..." Him? Have power? Contact somebody? What was this, some kind of joke? He hesitated. 

"Please!" Kurama's grip on his shirt became stronger. Kuwabara nodded slowly. 

"Tell me how." 

^_~ | ~_^ 

Swing up. Shift left. Move right. Leap up. Swing down... 

_Thunk_. Hiei's katana connected with the block of wood, slicing it neatly in two. Hiei wished it was somebody's head-mainly Koenma's. 

The toddler had refused to let them go after Kurama, even with Yusuke's insistence he was at Suzaku's. 

"We can't be sure," Koenma had pointed out, "And none of you are going anywhere until we're absolutely positive where he is!" 

_STUPID toddler._ Hiei's katana cut the two pieces into four. _Who does he think he is?_ Eight. _Kurama could be DYING and he still won't let us..._

_~Hiei?~_ Hiei's katana missed the block of wood, chopping into the grass instead. Had he just heard Kurama's voice in his head? 

_~Hiei! Please, answer me!~_ No, he wasn't imagining it. But he thought Kurama wasn't telepathic... 

_~Kurama? Is that you?~_

_~It is.~_

_~But how?~_

_~I have help, but...he's not very good.~_

_~I heard that~,_ a third voice cut into the conversation. The link wavered. _~Sorry.~_ Hiei quickly ripped off his bandana. His Jagan eye (third eye) glowed red in the dark. The link between him and Kurama strengthed, thanks to the Jagan's aid. 

_~Where are you?~_ Hiei asked. 

_~Suzaku's plantation.~_

_I KNEW IT!_ Hiei thought, to himself. Yusuke had been right after all. 

_~Karasu's here,~_ Kurama continued. Hiei swore out loud. No wonder his Jagan hadn't been able to find Kurama earlier. Karasu must have put up a barrier to prevent such a thing. 

_~Where is he? Is he there now?~_

_~No. He's...asleep.~_ Now that the Jagan was open, Hiei could clearly sense Kurama's fatigue. It was stronger than he'd ever felt it before...this was not good... 

_~Are you all right? What did he do to you?~_ It was a moment before Kurama answered. 

_~He's...the job is done. We're...coming home...once it's...fully light.~ _

_~That didn't answer my question, Kurama, WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU?~_ There was silence. _~Can you at least walk?~_ Even so, it was a moment before there was an answer. 

_~If it will...prevent him from...touching me...I can.~_ STUPID Kurama! Of all times, why did his pride have to kick in now? 

_~Don't go anywhere,~_ Hiei instructed, and cut the connection. He looked again with his Jagan, and it was as if he could see the situation. 

Trees formed a semi-circle next to a creek, the creek bordering the only side left unguarded by trees. Kurama was lying against one of these trees, which had wrapped a root tenderly around one of his bloodied hands. Another person was in the clearing. Hiei gave him a glance and then moved on. His real eyes widened in surprise as his Jagan gave him the details. 

_So much blood..._

_~What did he do to you?~_ he asked, reforging the link. 

_~Nothing he hasn't...done before.~_ This was NOT an answer Hiei liked. 

_~Get some rest,~_ he advised, ~You're tiring yourself out.~ 

_~I'm not-~_

_~I don't CARE; it's still tiring you out! Get some rest, Kurama. NOW.~_

_~Hiei...~_ the connection was faltering, _~Don't hurt yourself.~_ The connection died completely; Hiei didn't pursue it. Opening his other eyes, he walked over and wrenched his katana out of the floor. 

_Hang on, Kurama,_ he thought grimly, _We're coming_. 

^_~ | ~_^ 

Kuwabara really didn't understand what had just happened, or where that other voice had come from, but Kurama finally gave a contented sigh and opened his eyes again. 

"Thank you," was all he said, before he fell into sleep, his hand releasing its hold on Kuwabara's shirt. The instant it hit the ground, the grass seemed to grow longer, moving between his fingers and curling over his hand. It was kind of funny, actually-Kuwabara never really knew plants could be protective. But apparently they were, and he felt better at leaving Kurama alone. What with that creepy Karasu guy around...he gave Kuwabara the shivers. What was wrong with that guy... 

Now who could he go to? If he went to Shiori, she'd probably have a heart attack. Atsuko was a lost cause too-she'd sleep like a log until the sun rose. And Sis-Shizuru-wouldn't like being woken up either. 

So who did that leave? 

^_~ | ~_^ 

"Keiko! Keiko, wake up!" A very sleepy Keiko appeared at the door of her family's cabin, her hair tousled with sleep and her night shift in slight disarray. 

"What is it, Kuwabara?" she yawned, "It seems kinda early..." 

"YeahI'msorrybutIreallyneedyourhelp!" 

"Hm?" Quickly he explained the problem. By the end of his all-in-one-breath speech, she was wide-awake. 

"Th-that's horrible!" she whispered, putting a hand to her mouth in shock, "Who would be so cruel?" 

"It's disgusting, that's what it is," Kuwabara agreed, "So can you help me?" 

"Um," Keiko thought for a minute, "This stuff isn't really my forte, you know..." 

"I don't care, Keiko, Kurama needs help really really bad!" She nodded, mouth set in a firm line. 

"We'll need...bandanges. And probably a large bowl and washcloth. And something he can drink out of-like a mug or a cup." 

"Right. Uh...you may want to get dressed or somethin'..." She blushed and disappeared into her cabin; he turned away and raced towards his. 

_Okay_, he thought, as he entered and began rummaging through the cabinets, _He can use Yusuke's old mug, and-that bowl's probably big enough-bandages! Where do they keep the bandages?!?_

"Lookin' for somethin'?" Kuwabara let out a small squeak and whirled around to see Shizuru, fully dressed, standing in the doorway. 

"Sis! I was just, uh, getting a drink of water!" 

"With that big of a bowl?" A brief staring contest ensued-she won. 

Shizuru disappeared towards the end of his story and came back a moment later, a large roll of bandanges and a blanket in her hands. 

"Catch, bro." She tossed the bandages at him-he caught them, stunned. 

"I never thought we'd have to use those," she muttered, "Come on." 

Keiko was waiting for them. Without a word the three left the slave quarters, heading toward's Kuwabara's "secret thinking spot." Shizuru lead the way. 

Guess Kuwabara's "secret thinking spot" wasn't so secret after all... 

**_Well, that was fun...remember, if you kill the author, you don't get another chapter... _**

Please review! Remember the 125 review goal! And don't forget the Writer/Reader Reversal...you've only got a couple weeks left! 

Review Responses: 

Akumu-Seiki: Don't worry about it...you're my 99th reviewer! Hooray! ^_^ Have fun with the Writer/Reader Reversal! 

Hedi Dracona: I bet you liked the first part of this chapter...and you'll like chapter 12... oh, you will DEFINITELY like Chapter 12... 

koriaena: Fire demon...Spirit Energy...hmhmhm...*goes off on thinking spree* Well, for now, it's just another way to refer to him other than "Hiei" and "the short one." 

Dragonflyr: I like stuffed animals...I s'pose that's a good thing, considering Chapter 12... 

flamin: I'm so glad! I will! Keep on reviewing! 

clouds: Bad thoughts are nasty...but I like that motto! 

LoneWolf7423: you're excused. Have fun with it! 

aqua-flames: I can come up with excuses, if you want me to... 

Koritsune Dragonrider: Um...well, with the bracelet on....tell you what, I'll just say Chapter 12 and leave it at that. 

HieilovesBotan: I hope you have a clue now... 

Dancer Of Falling Rain: *breathes sigh of relief* The gremlins have stopped. Niyali is safe. At least until Chapter 12 pops up... 

Elyndewen Startree: Oh be quiet...thanks for the suggestion! I used it! ^_^ And if you ever do find time, let me know! 

****

Beware Chapter 12... 


	12. Chapter Eleven: All For One

**_Goooooooood morning, readers! Or good afternoon, or good evening...ah, heck, good whatever time of day it is! ^_^ _**

115 REVIEWS! THAT'S OVER A HUNDRED! THAT'S THE MOST I'VE EVER GOTTEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!! I'M SO HAPPY I COULD DIE!!!!! *dies* 

*comes back to life* Thank you SO much for reviewing! We still need 10 more before we reach our 125 goal for the next chapter...remember, if we do, you get a prize! And don't forget about the Writer/Reader Reversal that's still going on...you've got less than two weeks, so start writing if you haven't already! Now, with those out of the way, let's continue! 

Here are the characters for this chapter...they've been seperated into two different categories because I couldn't decide who was main and who wasn't. 

Location: Toguro's Plantation   
Hiei, Yusuke, Jin, Botan, aaaaaand Yukina! 

Location: Suzaku's Plantation.   
Keiko, Shizuru, Kuwabara, Kurama, and somebody else! It's not Suzaku, it's not Karasu, it's...heck, I'm not telling, go find out for yourself! 

Chapter Eleven:   
All For One 

"Wake up." It wasn't a request, or a gentle urge. It was more like a command, and commands Yusuke tended to ignore. 

"I mean it. Wake up now." Hmm...no. The bed was too warm. 

Or it _was_ until somebody ripped the blankets off and tore the pillow away. And when he refused to get up, hit him with it. 

Okay, _that_ was harsh. Yusuke sat up and opened his mouth to complain. 

Three eyes stared back at him. Whatever Yusuke had been about to say was lost at the shock of seeing that third, _glowing_, red eye. 

"Shut your mouth," Hiei snapped, "You act like you've never seen a Jagan eye before." 

"Oh, is that what you call it?" Yusuke asked, twitching, "I thought it was just a giant pimple." Hiei glared at him. 

"Hey, the sun's not even up yet," Yusuke noticed, "Why did you wake me up?" 

"I found him," Hiei interrupted, "He's at Suzaku's plantation with Karasu, and Karasu is going to make him _walk back_ as soon as it's fully light." Yusuke stared at him. 

"I need you to wake Jin," Hiei continued, "Tell him to meet us outside the front door A.S.A.P. Or else." With that, he was gone. Yusuke blinked. His brain slowly went over the conversation. Jagan...Suzaku...Karasu...wait a minute, KARASU? 

"JIN! WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!" 

^_~ | ~_^ 

_ Rose petals swirled gracefully around him, falling from an invisible somewhere to float with the breeze, twirling around him in an intricate dance of red. _

Red. The vivid color of the petals made him remember his own wounds, and he glanced down at himself tiredly. 

The wounds were still there, but strangely enough, he didn't feel them. There was no such thing as pain here-wherever here was. 

The petals blew away, as if an invisible wind kept them at bay. Now he sat in a clear bubble while all around him a storm went on. 

He could feel ground beneath him, feel the roughness of bark behind his back. He couldn't move-but somehow he didn't feel alarmed. He didn't really want to move. 

The petals parted as if they were a curtain-they closed again after a figure stepped into the bubble. 

Piercing gold eyes stared down at him where he sat against the tree. Delicate fox ears poked out from a head of long, silvery hair; a silver tail swished deliberately back and forth, like a cat watching its prey. 

"Who...who are you?" 

"Tell me who you are," the figure responded. 

"I am Kurama," Kurama said, obediently. The other person nodded. 

"So am I," he said, "In a way." Kurama didn't understand at all. How could he be him? He was him! 

"Allow me to explain," the figure said, "I am Yoko Kurama, and you and I are currently in the same body." He stepped closer. 

"I don't understand," Kurama said, "What do you mean?" 

"There isn't time to explain," Yoko said, "It takes a tremendous amount of energy to speak to you, even for such a short time as this. And doubtless you will need to speak to me later-so this is farewell for now." He was standing right next to Kurama now, and Kurama could clearly see his large, sharp claws. Yoko could kill him in an instant-but for some reason he wasn't afraid. 

"Rest now," Yoko said quietly, and Kurama found he could barely keep his eyes open. "Friends are coming for you, and you are in safe hands until they arrive. Sleep." And he did. 

^_~ | ~_^ 

"Poor Kurama," Keiko whispered, watching as Shizuru tied a bandage around his arm, "Who could do this?" 

"That Karasu guy seemed to have a pretty easy time going about it," Kuwabara mumbled. 

"Yeah, well, he's just a jerk," Shizuru said, "Does Kurama have some way to get back to Toguro's plantation?" Kuwabara shrugged. 

"I dunno. Maybe." 

"Karasu's not going to make him walk back, is he?" Keiko asked, her voice trembling. Kuwabara shrugged again. 

"He wouldn't," Shizuru said viciously, "Kurama is in no shape to walk-it's best if he doesn't move for a while." 

"He said he was coming back once it was fully light," Kuwabara remembered. 

"We won't let him," Shizuru vowed, "He will not get Kurama as long as we are here." 

^_~ | ~_^ 

The first star in the sky vanished as the dark faded just a little bit. Its twin winked out a moment later, and then another one disappeared. 

The sun would soon rise. 

^_~ | ~_^ 

_Crack._ A large spark of electricity danced out from Botan's bracelet, shocking her. She gave a small scream and the little bit of power that had gathered in her hand disappeared. A split second later, the same happened to Jin, and he fell the one foot he had gained to the ground. 

"Why isn't this working?" Botan moaned, hitting her bracelet with her fist, "Kurama needs our _help_, and we have no way to get to him!" 

"Calm down, Botan," Yukina said, placing her hands on Botan's arm, "We will find a way." 

"What other way is there?" Jin sighed, "She's right-we'll never get to him before Karasu does." 

"There's got to be something we can do!" Yusuke said. 

"What?" Jin asked, turning to him, "Unless you can come up with some way to get the bracelets off..." 

"I could go alone," Hiei suggested, "I might, if nothing else works." 

"And drag him back by yourself?!" Botan screeched, "I don't bloody think so!" The five of them were standing outside the house, trying to figure out some way they could use their powers to get to Kurama. But so far they were coming up blank-the bracelets weren't letting them do anything, no matter how dire the situation was. 

Botan collapsed on the ground, muttering something incoherent. Hiei watched from his position in a tree as Yukina knelt and tried to comfort her. Jin began drawing stick figures in the dirt. He had long since switched to speaking in a different language-Irish, Yusuke thought it was-and was now mumbling ferociously. Yusuke only stared off into the distance. There had to be _something_ they could do... 

^_~ | ~_^ 

The first rays of light struck the trees, sending birds off into a twitter of song. The morning was coming. 

^_~ | ~_^ 

_ "Kurama." Somebody was calling his name. With an effort, Kurama moved his head and dragged his eyes open. _

Yoko was sitting next to him, watching him with those keen gold eyes. 

"Did you know," Yoko said, staring at the silver cuff that was around Kurama's wrist, "It is possible to pass energy from one person to another?" 

"Hmmm." That probably didn't sound very intelligent, but he was too tired to care. 

"I'll take that as a yes," Yoko continued, "What have you used that energy for?" 

"...mm...stuff..." 

"I know you've done the mind-link; I saw you do it with Kuwabara. Now, think further-would it be possible to use energy for other things?" 

"...pro'bly..." 

"What do you think energy from an outside source would do to that?" He gestured at Kurama's bracelet. Kurama shrugged weakly. 

"Remember this; outside energy is more useful than you think. Besides being used to boost your strength, it can nullify something that's used to your energy-but not someone else's." 

"...why...?" Why was he telling him this? Couldn't it wait? 

"Think about it!" Yoko persisted, quickly loosing his patience, "We're running out of time...you need to wake up." 

"No." That was probably the only coherent answer Yoko was going to get out of him. 

"YES!" Yoko roared, jumping to his feet, "YOUR FRIENDS NEED YOU! NOW WAKE UP, AND REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU! OUTSIDE ENERGY, KURAMA, THINK ABOUT IT! WHAT COULD YOU DO WITH IT?" Kurama groaned. 

"NO! TRY PASSING IT THROUGH A LINK! THE OUTSIDE ENERGY WILL AUTOMATICALLY CANCEL ANYTHING THAT'S USED TO YOU, OR RESTRICTING YOU-YOU HAVE A BRAIN, NOW USE IT! YOUR FRIENDS NEED YOU, KURAMA, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE! **WAKE UP**!!!!" 

"...all right...all right..." The world of rose petals and Yoko faded away. Pain was quick in returning, and Kurama let out a moan as his wounds began to ache again. 

^_~ | ~_^ 

All the attention in the clearing turned to Kurama as the injured fighter gave out a low moan. 

"He's waking up," Shizuru stated. "Give him room!" Keiko hung back a little; Shizuru had to push Kuwabara back. 

"Hey, kiddo," she said softly, as Kurama's eyes opened a crack, "Remember me? Shizuru-Kuwabara's sister." Kurama gave a small smile, showing that he did indeed. "You've taken some hard knocks, kid-but don't worry, we've bandaged the worst of them. You'll pull through, just don't move if you don't have to." Green eyes open as far as he could get them (which was only about halfway), he opened his mouth to ask something. No sound came out. 

"Here," said another voice, "Drink." A cup was held to his lips; he took a few swallows gratefully. 

"Kuwabara?" 

"No, I'm Keiko," Keiko responded, as cheerful as she could get under the circumstances, "Kuwabara's on your other side." Kurama turned his head slowly; sure enough, there was Kuwabara. 

"Hey," Kuwabara said, "How're you feelin'?" Kurama didn't answer. 

"...how long..." 

"Have you been asleep?" Kuwabara finished. Kurama nodded. "I don't know. A couple hours, maybe. The sun's about to rise." Sunrise...yes, that was when Karasu would come back... 

"You have to leave," he said, exhaling, "If Karasu..." 

"Hang on a minute, kid, we're not going anywhere," Shizuru cut him off, "If Karasu wants to take you somewhere, he'll have to get through us." 

"You do have somebody coming to help you, right?" Keiko asked. Kurama opened his mouth to say yes, but then Yoko's words came flooding back to him. 

_"YOUR FRIENDS NEED YOU!"_ His brain started working again. In order to get here on time, they'd have to use their powers...but the bracelets would have to let them... 

"Kurama?" Keiko asked, "What's wrong? Are you in pain?" Stupid question, but he didn't have time to think about that. 

_"YOUR FRIENDS NEED YOU!"_

"Kuwabara!" 

"Yes?" 

"I need...your help again." 

"But...why?" 

"Please, Kuwabara...this is...urgent..." Half-awake green eyes locked with black; it only took a moment for Kuwabara to see the true desperation Kurama had. Such desperation he'd never seen... 

"All right," he said, swallowing, "I'll help." Kurama smiled and whispered a thank you. "Tell me what to do." 

"It's...complicated," Kurama said, trying to remember the rest of Yoko's words, "Let's start...by opening a link...like last time." 

"Same person?" Kuwabara asked, holding his hand out. Kurama nodded and pried his own away from the blades of grass that wrapped around it. Placing his bandaged hand on Kuwabara's, he locked eyes with him once more. 

"Follow my lead." 

*** 

**_Please review so we can reach the 125 review goal! _**

Review Responses: 

what2callmyself?: Eeeeeep! Don't hurt me! *edges away from band of angry people* ^_^;;; Thanks for reviewing; every little bit helps! And try to keep your brain from exploding...exploding minds aren't good. Trust me, I know (don't ask how...). ^_^ 

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(Turtlekick789@aol.com): You shall...you definitely shall...*evil cackle* 

LoveChild of Gehenna: When did I ever say you can't help? I love it when you help! Did I show you what I wrote on Chapter 14? ...oh wait, I didn't...argh, it sux, I HATE anti-climaxes! URGH! 

flamin: You're going to be crying more in the next chapter...*sniff* It made me cry, and that's not good...thanks for reviewing! (PS: I'm bugging Arashi about the Counseling story...we haven't forgotten about you, don't worry!) 

Jena: No telling, that would be bad. He'd probably kill them...stay tuned to see if he does in Chapter 12! 

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Rain of light: There's more, don't worry! But you're really going to hate Karasu next time... 

HieilovesBotan: Hello Mustard! It's nice to meet you! ^_^ Hope you both enjoyed this chapter@ 

Dragonflyr: In the end.....well...I'm sorry, I can only one of your wishes---maybe another but I'm not sure yet...^_^ Don't get confused, now. 

Meg: I'd LOVE 250 reviews! THAT WOULD BE SO AWESOME! ^______^ As for the rating, the swearing in some of the chapters made it PG at least, and I thought the blood deserved PG-13...if it didn't, the next chapter certainly will! And I'm trying on the chapters...I've got a couple more written out because I like to be ahead of the ball game. But I'm falling behind, ack! *scrambles to write more* 

LoneWolf7423: DSL is happy! And thank you, Mr. Paperclip, for delivering the review--it made me so happy! ^_^ 

**_BEWARE CHAPTER 12.... _**


	13. Chapter Twelve: Red Sun Rising

**_The Writer/Reader Reversal will be closed at MIDNIGHT! There's still time for you to submit your story! Come on, people, you can do it! Submit submit submit and wiiiiiin! _**

I think it's time I explained my system of chapters for this story...I don't count the Prologue as a chapter. Therefore, when I refer to "Chapter 6", that appears to be Chapter 7 to you. But it's not...if you're really confused, check the chapter selection bar--I've labelled each chapter as to which chapter it is. So when I said, BEWARE CHAPTER TWELVE, I really meant... BEWARE THE CHAPTER THAT FOLLOWS THIS SPECIFIC AUTHOR'S NOTE. Now then, on to other matters... 

WE HAVE SURPASSED OUR GOAL! 138 REVIEWS!! In honor of that and this chapter, everybody gets...a KARASU VOODOO DOLL!! And if you like Karasu, you can have....a...Yusuke voodoo doll! And if you like Yusuke....um...Kuwabara voodoo doll? Heck, have anybody, but none of the author even though by the end of the chapter you'll probably want one. 

No new characters this time...so let's skip right on ahead to the chapter! 

This chapter is dedicated to my friend NINGEN1 for her help with the story! Thanks a lot! 

**Chapter Twelve:   
Red Sun Rising**

"Do you feel that?" Keiko turned to Shizuru, who was looking at Kurama and Kuwabara with shock on her face. 

"Feel what?" 

"That...energy," Shizuru responded, "It's-there's so much of it..." 

"I don't feel anything," Keiko shrugged, "But what are they doing?" 

"If I knew, I'd be helping." 

"Oh." What Keiko couldn't see was the yellow-green glow around the boys as their energy combined-and since she couldn't see that, she wouldn't have been able to see the tendril of yellow (flecked with green) reaching out from them, stretching far, far away into the distance... 

_Remind me again why you're doing this._ Hiei's voice in Kuwabara and Kurama's heads very nearly broke the connection the two had with him-particularly since Kuwabara was trying to maintain the link with raw, never-been-used Spirit Energy. 

_Transferring energy,_ Kurama explained, as he continued to guide Kuwabara's energy through the link and across to where Hiei was, _If all goes well...it...it should nullify your bracelet. Then you...can use your...energy._

_Hn._

_Are we almost done?_ Kuwabara asked, beads of sweat running down his face. 

_Hn. Patience is a virtue. _Hiei snapped, secretly frustrated with the time himself. 

_Hiei...be nice, _Kurama scolded quietly, _Can you do something yet?_ There was a pause, and then a mental yelp. Hiei's end of the link dropped, and Kuwabara was forced to push more of his energy out to avoid cutting connection off completely. 

_I'll take that as a no,_ Kurama yawned. Yawns were contagious, and Kuwabara found himself yawning. He was beginning to feel rather sleepy... 

_It's the energy loss. _Hiei's voice in his head made him jump. _Your energy transfer is wearing you down. Kurama, if this doesn't work- _

I know...I know, Kurama sighed, _You're going to kill me._

_No,_ Hiei remarked, _I'm going to wait until you get better, and THEN I'll kill you._ Tired as he was, Kurama couldn't resist a small smile. 

_And if it works?_ Kuwabara had to ask. 

_Stay out of this,_ Hiei snapped. 

_Hiei,_ Kurama chastised. 

_It's none of his business. _

Still, that doesn't... Kurama gave up as the link wavered, _Can you try again? _There was another pause that lasted longer this time. _Hiei? _

Did he bail out on us? Kuwabara wanted to know, _I bet he did... _

Just like him, Kurama commented, _It must...have worked._ That was all Kuwabara needed. The connection dropped, and the yellow-green glow around him and Kurama disappeared as well. Both boys opened their eyes, which had been closed for better concentration. 

"Thanks," Kurama said. Kuwabara nodded. 

"That...that was incredible," Shizuru breathed, "What was that?" 

"You SAW it?!?" Kuwabara moaned. 

"I didn't see anything," Keiko volunteered. Kurama laughed quietly. 

"It seems...Spirit Awareness...runs in your family," he said. 

"Spirit what?" Kuwabara and Shizuru chorused. Kurama shook his head. 

"Never mind." There was a silence, interrupted only when Shizuru felt something warm on her back. Spinning around, her eyes widened in alarm. 

The sky and clouds were a red/pink color, much more red than pink. The leaves on the forest were that same color as the sun's light shone on them, and the creek running by seemed to be a river of blood. In all her life, Shizuru had never seen a sunrise this vivid-nor had she ever been so alarmed by one. 

"Shit!" Kuwabara swore, "The sun!" 

"We haven't got much time," Shizuru snapped, "Your friends _are_ coming, right?" 

"...sure they're...on their way..." Kurama muttered, sleep threatening to take over once more. 

"Come on, Kurama, don't go to sleep yet!" Shizuru insisted, "We've got to know what we can do to stop this Karasu guy from taking you anywhere until help comes!" 

"Leave." There was a pause. 

"W-what did you say?" Keiko squeaked. 

"You can't possibly be serious!" Shizuru screeched, "He'll _kill_ you!" 

"No...he won't." Opening his eyes again, Kurama focused on a tree across the creek so as not to black out, "Toguro...he'd kill him...for killing me. I'm...the only one...who can control plants. To lose me...he'd lose a lot more. Besides-" His eyes flickered to Kuwabara, "-he needs rest. You...can take him back...before anybody notices." 

"And leave you here all alone!?" Keiko said, shocked. 

"Not...alone." There was a rustle as the tree he was leaning against moved, although there was no breeze. "They...each plant...I have some energy left. It...should be enough." 

"We can't-" Kuwabara started. 

"You must!" Kurama insisted, opening his eyes fully for the first time in hours, "If Karasu finds you here, he'll kill you!" 

"He wouldn't-" Keiko started. 

"HE WILL KILL YOU!" Kurama's voice rose considerably, but he brought it down to a lower level almost immediately, "Please-trust me. I can take care...of myself. Leave." They hesitated. 

"Go!" Kurama pleaded, panicking slightly as he sensed Karasu's energy on the edge of his range, "He's coming! Please, leave..." He broke off, staring at them imploringly. There was another pause before Shizuru nodded slowly and helped her brother up off the ground. Keiko moved to help, but a little slower. 

"Hey-" Kuwabara said, before they left, "Take care of yourself, okay?" Kurama smiled and nodded. 

"You too." They left the clearing, and Kurama was left alone. He closed his eyes halfway and leaned his head back against the tree trunk. It was all he could do not to fall asleep-but he couldn't. He had to wait for Karasu...and stall time for his friends to get there. 

_Please,_ he thought desperately, _Let Karasu get lost...let him not find me..._

****

**_Dang thing cut out my lines...so interludes like this indicates a change, okay?_**

**__**

"Why did we do that?" Keiko whispered ferociously, "Leaving him to fend for himself-what kind of friends are we?" Shizuru (who was practically carrying Kuwabara), nodded and stopped. "Uh-Shizuru? What are you doing?" Shizuru let her brother sink into a sitting position on the ground before crouching and addressing him. 

"Listen. I don't know what you and Kurama did, but I know you must have given him some of your energy. I want to know what you did so I can do it to you." 

"Just tell me!" 

"All right, all right." He paused, "Um...well, see, Kurama kind of drew it out from me the first time..." 

"Then take it from me!" Shizuru insisted, "He said something about Spirit Awareness-I'm certain that's why I could sense what the two of you were doing. If it runs in the family, it means you've got it too. Use it and take some of my energy from me!" 

"Okay, but-" 

"DO IT." With an unspoken awe at how determined his sister was, Kuwabara closed his eyes, focused hard for a minute, and then opened them. 

A dim brown glow was around his sister, almost impossible to see in the growing light. There was a big, pulsing ball of it in the center of her chest. Somehow, Kuwabara knew that this was the 'Spirit Energy' Kurama had mentioned. Gently, unsure of what he was doing, he reached out one of his hands-which was glowing with its own yellow light-and grasped a bit of Shizuru's energy. Then, he gave a small and cautious tug. 

Energy from her began to pour into him, and he quickly let go so as not to take too much of her energy. Yet it worked-he felt much more awake and refreshed now. Not as good as having a full night's sleep, but it was something. 

"Thanks," he said, grinning. 

"Anytime, baby brother," Shizuru smiled, "Now, here's the plan. I don't care what Kurama says, we're his friends, even if we haven't seen him for ten years, and good friends don't abandon each other one in their time of need." 

"Right," Keiko nodded, swallowing. 

"We'll just hide in the bushes," Shizuru continued, "If it looks as if he can't take it-" She pounded her fist into her palm dramatically as Kuwabara finished her sentence for her. 

"We'll kick some Karasu butt!" 

**_Blah blah blah...change!_**

****

His hands were starting to hurt from gripping onto the oar so tightly, but he was half afraid of falling off. The oar was shooting through the sky; Botan wouldn't stop for anything. Yusuke was damp from the clouds they'd shot through, but he didn't care. Time was the only thing on his mind, right now. Would they have enough? 

If he looked up and slightly ahead, he could see Jin zooming through the air above them, awash in red light from the rising sun. If Yusuke looked down and a bit behind, he could see a black blur that was Hiei, zipping from treetop to treetop, or on the ground if there weren't any trees. But Yusuke wasn't interested in them now-his only thoughts were on speed. 

Would they be in time? 

****

**_Change of scene..._**

Silence. 

A bush rustled, but there was no breeze. 

"Sorry-" 

Silence. 

"This is boring." 

"Shh!" 

"Do you want him to hear us?" Kurama opened one eye and glanced around the clearing. Nobody was there, but he could have sworn he heard voices. Sighing softly, he closed his eye. 

His main sense cut off, it was easy for him to hear a stick crack as somebody stepped on it. 

"Did you hear that?" 

"I didn't hear anything." 

"Both of you, be quiet!" 

"Sorry." There was silence again. For some reason, it unnerved Kurama-why was it so quiet? Even at this early hour, there should have been the birds chirping- 

But the birds had fallen silent. Nothing moved, not even the plants. Kurama wondered if he'd gone deaf. 

No, he couldn't have; if he was deaf, he wouldn't have heard the slow, deliberate footsteps that were calmly crossing the clearing, and he wouldn't have heard the quiet breathing as the footsteps stopped very, very close to him. 

"Poor, poor Kurama," Karasu crooned, "However did you manage to drag yourself here? It's so far from the field...I didn't think you had that much strength." Kurama didn't reply; instead, he continued to feign sleep. 

"Wake up, Kurama," Karasu said, in a singsong voice, "It's morning, and you know what that means..." 

_Don't say anything,_ Kurama told himself firmly. 

"Come now, Kurama. Why don't you stop fooling around? I know you're awake, and the sooner you accept it, the sooner we can be back home. You want that, don't you?" Darn. Instead of responding verbally, Kurama groaned. 

"Poor Kurama," Karasu said, and Kurama was horrified to feel a hand gently stroking his hair, "I know, it hurts. But if you wake up, I can make it better." 

"Get away..." Kurama whispered, forcing his eyes open to meet with Karasu's purple ones. Too close...he was too close... 

"So you are awake," Karasu stated softly, "Too much pain to sleep? I'm so sorry-I thought with your exhaustion-" 

"Get away!" Kurama hissed, bringing his hand up to force Karasu's away. Karasu caught the offending hand and held it firmly in his own. Kurama pried his other hand away from the tree root to pull his hand out of Karasu's vice-like grip-the same thing happened. 

"Now, now, you shouldn't struggle," Karasu said, holding both of Kurama's bloodied hands tightly in one of his while he gently stroked the redhead's hair, "I'm not going to hurt you-no, your blood is already on my hands, isn't it? I wouldn't want to damage you more-" 

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Using the little bit of energy he'd regained while he slept, the grass around Karasu grew suddenly, intertwining around him and creeping up his arms to try and pry his hands away from Kurama. Still more blades of grass crept up to his neck, threatening to strangle him. 

"So," Karasu stated, "You've managed to work around your bracelet-I told Toguro it could be done-and you've figured it out all by yourself! Such an accomplishment...too bad you don't have enough energy to seriously harm me." Explosions filled the clearing-the grass restricting him fell harmlessly to the ground. "I didn't think you had it in you-perhaps we are more alike than I thought." 

"No-" Kurama moaned, as Karasu's hand slipped from his hair to his face, "Please, no-" _Darn it-I thought I had more energy than this-why can't I do anything!?_

"KURAMA!" Both Karasu and Kurama looked to see Shizuru and Kuwabara bursting into the clearing, Keiko close behind. 

"No!" Kurama cried, "Stay back-he'll hurt you-" Too late; Karasu had removed his hand from Kurama's face, and Kurama could feel him pulling up his energy. "STAY BACK!" Energy he didn't know he had burst forth-the trees and plants around his friends reached out and pulled them back just as Karasu released a barrage of bombs, which exploded into the ground right where they'd been standing. 

Keiko screamed; Shizuru and Kuwabara stared in disbelief at the smoldering hole in the ground that could have been them. 

"GET BACK!" Kurama yelled, "HE'LL KILL YOU!" The trees released them, and they didn't need a second warning. They fled into the trees and disappeared from view. 

"Brave boy," Karasu whispered, "Standing up for your friends-that takes courage. Standing up to me-that is foolish." There was another explosion, and Kurama screamed in pain as he felt blood trickle down his arm again. His scream was cut off halfway through as Karasu's free hand clamped down over his mouth. 

"Now, now, we can't have you making noise," Karasu said, "We wouldn't want anybody to hear, now would we? I, of course, can hear you-but nobody else should." Kurama bit down savagely, earning a small cry from his attacker. But the hand wasn't removed, and Kurama was disgusted to taste blood in his mouth: Karasu's blood. 

"That was stupid," Karasu hissed, "You will pay for that." Another bomb went off, and Kurama screamed once again, and again as Karasu detonated a third. Only Karasu heard his muffled screams; only Karasu was relentless enough to make Kurama suffer through such torture as he went through bomb after bomb, time and time again. 

Tears of helplessness and pain trickled out of Kurama's eyes as he trembled, unable to muster the strength to move away, unable to pry his hands away from Karasu's unrelenting grip, unable to do anything but scream and hope that somebody, _anybody_, would hear him. 

****

**_I think these interludes ruin the effect, but continue!_**

"I don't believe this," Yusuke muttered. He was standing on the edge of the field that he'd last worked in, the field that he'd completely and utterly destroyed. 

Yet it was as if nothing had happened. All the stalks of sugar cane were there, and Yusuke'd never seen them so...healthy. 

"Don't believe what?" Jin asked. 

"They-they were all dead," Yusuke said, staring in awe at the plants, "I killed them all..." 

"Kurama must have grown them back," Botan said, "He must be exhausted..." 

"Yes, and with Karasu around, exhausted is not a good thing," Hiei snapped, "Yusuke." Yusuke turned to him. "Is there a creek somewhere on this plantation?" Yusuke nodded. "With a small clearing of trees?" 

"You mean Kuwabara's 'secret thinking spot'?" Yusuke asked. 

"Whatever you call it. That's where Kurama is." 

"How do you know-" Botan started. Hiei's Jagan flared. 

"I saw it." 

"I know where that is!" Yusuke exclaimed, "Come on!" 

"Yusuke!" Botan yelled, "Wait a minute, you don't know-" But he didn't hear her. 

"No sense in arguing with the eager," Jin pointed out, and leapt into the air, "Wait for me, Urameshi!" Yusuke didn't hear him-he was concentrating on not tripping over anything as he ran. Let's see, if he remembered correctly, the clearing should be just around this turn- 

"KURAMA!" 

Two pairs of eyes met with Yusuke's-one purple, filled with a cruel joy, the other green, full of tears and blinding pain. 

"YOU BASTARD! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Kurama watched as Yusuke pointed at Karasu to get his meaning across; he felt Karasu's hand removed from his mouth as Karasu prepared to attack. Kurama tried to say something, to warn Yusuke to get away, but he had no strength left. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see Yusuke get blown into pieces from the green energy gathering in Karasu's hand- 

But Yusuke got there first. 

A ball of blue-white energy was released from Yusuke's finger, shooting towards the dark-haired man and connecting, propelling him off Kurama and into a nearby tree with such force that he went through it. 

Jin, coming into the clearing just in time to see the blue explosion, could only stare. 

Yusuke didn't care that he had just knocked Karasu unconscious; he only saw Kurama lying in a pool of his own blood. 

"Kurama!" Yusuke was on his knees next to his friend; blood was soaking through his pants but he didn't care. "No, Kurama, you can't die...please, open your eyes, you can't be dead, please, no..." Slowly, slowly, Kurama's eyes fluttered open, and he gave a small smile as he saw Yusuke. 

"Thanks..." he whispered before his eyelids fell shut, and he was still.

**__**

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**_Remember, if you kill the author, you don't get an update...._**

Review Responses 

Zeke Wolf: Thank you! Yes, I have seen past the Dark Tournament...I've seen all the Chapter Black (Sensui Arc, as you referred to it) episodes that are in English. Kaitou...heck, what about all the Chapter Black characters? Truth be told, I'd actually been thinking about that....anyway, about Jin and Touya, if you mean are they straight, the answer would be (for this fic) yes. Why does Jin dote on Touya so much? I think that'll be explained later... Contest thingy? We don't know yet, but we will soon! Who's your sister? 

Silver Foxglove: Well, I'm pretty sure you won't be wanting a Karasu voodoo doll...so take another! 

kala-chan: I did, thanks for reviewing! 

Rose16: Thank you! I'm so glad people like it! 

flamin: Update, see up. points upwards to chapter 

Angelique: All things must have an end, sadly... 

Akumu-Seiki: Don't beat yourself up about it...you'll just have to review this chapter! Glad you liked Yoko--it took me a while to figure out how to get him in... 

asdf: I'm glad you found something good to read--I've been trying for a while and not finding anything... 

aqua-flames: Actions speak louder than words...but since the chapter IS words, how can the action of updating be louder? 

Queen of Roses: I fixed chapter six...I hope it makes more sense now. And thank you for the offer--I just might take you up on it in the future! 

Hedi Dracona: Yes, you're right....this is Chapter 12. And I think you enjoyed it a lot... 

Dancer Of Falling Rain: Of COURSE it had to work! Where would we be if it didn't? Well, let's see, Kurama would be dead, and--oh wait. Never mind. ;; 

Jena: Don't bite your nails--it's a really hard habit to break. Trust me, I know...bad memories...very bad...there's your update! 

Anica106: Thank you! I try really hard to keep them in character...it's just so DIFFICULT with the characters we don't see very often! sigh But I try. Thank you for reading! 

What2callmyself?: If you ask me, I think Karasu just got eviller...please don't sic the mob on me! runs away 

Jaid Skywalker: Hmm...scene description...I'll try! 

HieilovesBotan: Um...can I agree with Mustard and not get hurt? ;; 

Dragonflyr: Did you? I hoped somebody would, it wasn't that hard to figure out...at least, I didn't think so... 

Anime Storyteller: I like that song! begins singing it 

LoneWolf7423: 

koriaena: Yes, and Hiei doesn't need his bracelet to run fast or use his sword, does he? 

Hieisbestbuddy888: Actually, I don't really know...I haven't written that far yet. 

Elyndewen Startree: NOOOO!! DON'T STOP REVIEWING!! I need the revieeeeews...


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Cheating Death

**_Niyali--Hi! This isn't script format! YAY! _**

Arashi--Which means I can be back here! YAY!! 

Niyali--...darn it, maybe I shouldn't have thought of this. 

Arashi--T.T I hate QuickEdit. 

Niyali--me too. 

Arashi--Yeah. See, look at my stupid happy face thing? 

Niyali--I see what you mean...or rather, I don't. Watch this! goes to do something but can't because of STUPID QUICKEDIT 

Arashi--I'm nodding in agreement, but the readers don't know that anymore because OF STUPID QUICKEDIT. 

Niyali--Which is why this chapter is titled: 

Chapter Thirteen:   
STUPID QUICKEDIT!!! 

_...well, actually, it's titled 'Cheating Death', but I like the revised title better. _

Arashi--Yeah. 

Niyali--Review responses are at the bottom, as always...but we can't make happy faces at you. That sucks. 

Arashi--I'VE GOT IT! n.n 

Niyali--INGENIOUS! YOU CAN'T HOLD US BACK, QUICKEDIT! THE WRITERS WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL!!!! so there. 

Arashi--XP 

Niyali--Also at the bottom (I wrote bootm the first time, ha ha, silly me!) before the reviewer responses, we'll be giving you information on the next WRITER/READER REVERSAL! YAAAAAY! So read on! 

Arashi--Please. 

Niyali--Do. 

Chapter Thirteen:   
Cheating Death 

_No...this can't be..he...no, not... _

Dead, whispered the wind, _Dead, dead._

"No..." 

"Is he--" 

_Dead?_ asked a cloud, _Dead? _

"He isn't moving..." 

"He can't be..." 

_Dead!_ moaned the creek. _Dead! _

"Kurama--" 

"He's not." 

_Dead,_ said the plants. _Not dead. _

"Didn't you hear me?" 

Nobody could say it. Nobody would speak the word for fear that it was true. Kurama couldn't be dead...they'd come too far, too fast, he just couldn't be-- 

"HE'S NOT DEAD!" A silence greeted Hiei's words. 

"He's--he's not?" Botan whispered. 

_Never dead,_ the plants rejoiced, _Only sleeping_. But nobody heard them. 

"How can you tell?" Yusuke asked, eyes wet with unneeded tears. 

"The dead don't bleed," Hiei pointed out. In the blink of an eye, he'd crossed the clearing and knelt to take Kurama's wrist in his hand. "He has a pulse. Weak, but it's there..." He looked up sharply. "If we don't get him help soon..." 

"Right," Botan cut him off, "Let's see, is there anything we can do to stop his bleeding? We really shouldn't move him until he stops--" 

"Right," Jin said, nodding, "I can handle that--just step away from Kurama for a moment...there we go." 

"And...we should do something about him," Botan continued, swiveling to look at Karasu's unconscious form, "What did you _do_ to him, Yusuke?" 

"...I'm not really sure." 

"Not that I mind!" Botan continued hastily, "Let's see, Yusuke, you know the plantation best--is there anywhere we could stick Karasu until he wakes up?" 

"Um..." Yusuke thought for a moment, "Well, we could--" 

"URAMESHI?" All speech was cut off as the focus changed to Kuwabara, who was standing at the edge of the clearing, mouth agape. 

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke exclaimed, "D'you know a place where we can stick this guy?" He jerked his thumb lazily in the direction of Karasu, "I'm almost positive you don't want him in your 'secret thinking spot'--" 

"Cut with the act, Urameshi!" Kuwabara shouted, storming into the clearing, "Where have you been? You've been gone for _days_; Atsuko said you'd--" He broke off as he noticed the other people in the clearing. "Uh, who're they?" 

"They're my...my new...uh..." _Darn it! What am I supposed to call them? They're not really teammates, because this is the only thing we've done as a team, and ally would sound too formal...I know!_ "They're my friends!" 

"Is that the best you can do?" Botan demanded. 

"Hn." Hiei looked away, "Friends are for the weak." 

"That's not true!" Jin protested, as he landed next to Kurama (unlike Yusuke and Hiei, his pants weren't soaked through with blood because he'd been floating), "I have friends!" 

"And your point is...?" 

"You've got friends too!" 

"Hn. I do not." 

"Yes you do. Why would you run all the way out here for Kurama if he wasn't your friend?" There was a silence. Hiei finally responded with his trademark "hn" and ignored him. 

"You have weird friends, Urameshi," Kuwabara stated, eyeing Hiei warily. Hiei ignored him as well. 

"Right," Yusuke said, rolling his eyes, "Okay, um, this is Botan--" 

"Nice to meet you!" Botan exclaimed cheerfully. 

"--that's Jin--" Jin grinned, "--and the short one is Hiei." 

"Hn." 

"And guys, this is Kazuma Kuwabara," Yusuke said, "But everybody calls him Kuwabara." 

"It's more manly," Kuwabara said, looking at Botan as he said so. Botan laughed nervously. "So, Urameshi, what're you doing here? Why didn't you--" His gaze fell on Kurama and the unconscious Karasu. "Uh...what's going on?" 

"We're here to take Kurama back home," Botan explained, "He can get proper help there." Kuwabara nodded. 

"Yeah--that Karasu guy was really nasty to him. I hope he's going to be okay." 

"He'll be fine," Jin spoke up, "The sooner we get him back the better." 

"That's right," Botan agreed, "Um...Kuwabara, can we trust you to put Karasu somewhere where he won't bother anybody?" 

"I know just the place," Kuwabara grinned, and that goofy look appeared on his face that told Yusuke he was going to do something incredibly stupid, "You can come help, if you want--" Botan laughed nervously again before declining the offer. 

"That's very sweet, Kuwabara, but I simply can't. I've got to help them get Kurama home." She turned to Jin. "Can we move him now?" Jin nodded. 

"Mm-hmm. I just increased the air pressure around his wounds enough to stop the bleeding. Don't move him too much, though--they could start bleeding again." 

"So we don't move him," Yusuke said, "That's going to get a lot done." 

"I said don't move 'im _too much_, Urameshi! Honestly, you'd think those ears were just on your head to take up space!" He laughed at his own joke; Yusuke didn't think it was so funny. Kuwabara did, apparently, as he was grinning like a maniac. 

"Oh SHUT UP!" Yusuke yelled, at Kuwabara, "DON'T MAKE ME TAKE THAT SMILE OFF YOUR FACE!" 

"Hey, Urameshi, I was just kidding! Ow! Stop it!" 

"Did he say they were friends?" Botan asked Jin as the wind master helped her lift Kurama onto her oar. 

"Seems like they'd get along just fine," Jin said, glancing over his shoulder at where Yusuke had Kuwabara in a headlock, "They're both rowdy boys." 

"They're both stupid," Hiei stated, watching with bored amusement. 

"HEY!" Kuwabara flung Yusuke off him and stormed over to Hiei, "Take that back, you little punk! Don't make me take it back for you!" 

"You? Hurt me? That's so funny, I forgot to laugh." 

"Why you--" Kuwabara swung his fist angrily at Hiei, who nimbly stepped to the side, causing Kuwabara to land face first in the dirt. 

"Can we go now?" Hiei asked, "This is starting to get pointless." 

"Yes, let's," Botan said, "Yusuke, you're riding with me. Try to keep Kurama from falling off, okay?" 

"After all this trouble?" Yusuke asked, walking over, "I'm not about to let him die just as we get here to save him." 

"Glad to see you find this so amusing," Botan said sarcastically as she mounted her oar. 

"Hey, wait a second!" Kuwabara said, getting up, "You're leaving already? D-don't you wanna see your mom, Urameshi?" 

"Look, Kuwabara, this is important," Yusuke said, "If we don't get Kurama back soon, he's going to die. How would I ever be able to face my mom again, knowing I let somebody die?" 

"That's a point," Kuwabara muttered. 

"I promise, I'll come back as soon as I can for a visit. If I can, that is. But right now, I can't, so I'm sorry." 

"Wait, Urameshi--" Kuwabara stepped towards Yusuke, but his friend had already mounted the oar behind Botan and was being lifted slowly into the air. 

"It was nice meeting you!" Botan called down to Kuwabara, "Sorry we couldn't have stayed longer!" 

"Would've loved to meet Urameshi's mother!" Jin added, from his position next to the oar, "But as Urameshi said, time's flying and we've gotta beat it!" With that he was gone, and Botan soon followed him (Hiei had long since left). 

"Wait, Urameshi!" Kuwabara called, as his friend became a speck in the distance, "You could've at least said hi to Keiko..." 

**_Stupid thing cut out my lines...again....okay, imagine line here!_**

Twenty miles or so away, Koenma had snapped. 

"WHERE THE HECK ARE THEY?!?!" 

"Koenma sir, please, calm down--" 

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN UNTIL I KNOW WHERE THE FOUR OF THEM HAVE GONE OFF TO!!" Koenma yelled at Jorge. He was back in his toddler form, and was pacing back and forth across the kitchen countertop--pacing across the floor would have looked odd. Besides, nobody would have paid attention to him (well, they didn't anyway but that's not the point). 

"WHEN THEY GET BACK HERE, THEY ARE GOING TO BE GROUNDED FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!" 

Sitting on a stool, Touya watched, half amused and half awake. He'd been dragged out of his bed a while ago because Koenma thought he knew something as to where his friends had gone. Since Hiei hadn't woken Touya up before he and the others left, Touya was just as clueless as Koenma. Unlike Koenma, though, the only reason Touya was upset was because he'd just been deprived of two hours of sleep. Oh, yes, and because his best friend had gone missing in the middle of the night without leaving a single clue as to where he'd gone (stupid Jin). 

"Touya!" a voice hissed, "Touya!" He snapped to attention and glanced first at Koenma to make sure he hadn't heard (he hadn't), and then around to try and locate the speaker. 

Genkai stood in one of the hallways leading into the kitchen, beckoning to him with her hand. As soon as she knew he saw her, she jerked her head in the direction of the hallway and disappeared. 

Curiosity aroused, Touya wasted no time in following. After checking to make sure Koenma wasn't paying attention to him (he wasn't), he left, heading down the hallway to the front door. 

Genkai met him there; so did Yukina. 

"Touya!" Yukina exclaimed, "Did they tell you?" 

"Tell me what?" he asked. 

"Hiei woke me," she responded, talking fast in her combined excitement and nervousness, "Kurama contacted him from Suzaku's--" 

"Kurama? What did he say?" 

"Hiei didn't tell me--he only said it wasn't very good and I needed to be ready to help when they came back." They--she could only mean Hiei, Yusuke, Botan, and Jin! 

"So they went after him," Touya mused, "No wonder Koenma's freaking out--they must have done it in the middle of the night, when he was sleeping." Yukina nodded. 

"It gets worse," Genkai added, "They're due back any minute. We need to get them into the house and to a place where Yukina can heal Kurama without Koenma interrupting--" 

"Because once he does, we'll never get anything done," Touya finished, familiar with where Koenma's train of thought headed and how long it took for it to end. 

"Yes," Yukina agreed, worry evident in her voice, "Any ideas?" There was a silence as the three of them thought. 

"It's a shorter distance from the back door to Kurama's room," Touya thought out loud, "If Yukina and I wait outside to redirect them that way, we can sneak them in so Yukina can work in peace--then if we have the four of them head directly to the kitchen, we should be able to keep Koenma busy with them for a long enough time." 

"It'll do," Genkai said, "I'll distract Koenma so he doesn't go anywhere near the back door." She left them, heading for the kitchen. They headed the opposite way-outside to the front yard. 

While they waited, Touya had plenty of time to dwell on the current situation. From what he gathered, Hiei had received some sort of message from Kurama implying his location and had gone off with Botan, Jin, and Yusuke to get him, after he woke Yukina up. Why did he wake all of them? 

Well, let's see. Botan and Jin could fly, so that was one reason. Yukina needed to heal Kurama when they got back, so there was another reason. Yusuke...he'd come from Suzaku's plantation, hadn't he? So he'd know his way around better than any of them and could help in that way. That made sense. 

Wait a second, they'd all have their bracelets, wouldn't they? How could they get around the bracelets long enough to get to Kurama and back? It was obvious they found some way, but what was it? 

Karasu was another problem. If Kurama was at Suzaku's, it was obvious Karasu was there too. And knowing him, Karasu would not be pleased with them showing up and interrupting the assignment--even if the assignment was done. Knowing him, he wouldn't hesitate to show his anger...damn him. Damn them! They couldn't do a thing to him because of the bracelets--he'd probably _kill_ one of them! And that was the last thing they needed right now--one of them _dead_ because they didn't think this all through! 

This was just like Jin--to leave in the middle of the night with no idea where he was going or what he was doing. 

He could've at least gotten Touya up. 

**_Lines again! YAAY!_**

Yusuke'd never been so happy to see Toguro's plantation in his entire life. Okay, so he'd only seen it once, and that was when Botan was bringing him there for the first time, but still, he hadn't been very happy to see it then, now had he? Now, as Botan began a gentle, but fast descent towards the gigantic plantation, Yusuke looked around quickly, searching for the building he now called home. 

The large house was shadowed from overhead view by enormous trees; no wonder he hadn't seen it before! The only reason he saw it now was because Botan was heading straight for it, and so was Jin. 

Correction; Botan was heading for it. Jin had already landed and was being berated by Touya, who was waiting outside. 

"Ow!" Jin protested, "Stop it--that hurts!" 

"You could've _at least_ woken me up!" Touya yelled in his ear, "How do you think I felt when I was woken up at THREE IN THE MORNING by a mad Koenma?!" 

"But we would've had to wake you up earlier than that!" Jin pointed out, trying to squirm out of the unrelenting grip Touya had on one of his ears. 

"ARE YOU A MAD KOENMA? I DON'T THINK SO!" 

"Ow, I'm sorry! I'll wake you up next time! Let go..." By now they had landed (well, not really; Botan had them hovering a foot off the ground so the oar wouldn't disappear), and Yusuke realized that Yukina was there as she hurried over to them. 

"Oh," she breathed, as she caught sight of the unconscious Kurama, "Oh my..." Touya let go of Jin's ear and came over, the wind master close behind. Touya, like Yukina, was shocked into speechlessness, but only for a moment. 

"Quickly," he instructed them, "Genkai's distracting Koenma so we can get him in through the back door. Here, Yusuke, help me." Yusuke nodded and slipped off the oar. Together, he and Touya managed to get Kurama off and supported between them. 

Somehow or other, they managed to get Kurama into the house and his room with no problems. As soon as they laid him on the bed, Yukina took over, pale blue light quickly spreading from her hands to engulf Kurama where he lay. 

"Yukina's our resident healer," Botan explained to Yusuke, as they left the room, "We're all expected to know the basics, but she's the expert." 

"Really?" 

"Mm-hmm. This way, we can train all we like and we know that if we get hurt, Yukina can fix us up. Gives her practice, too." 

"Oh." It made sense--accidents did happen, and Toguro probably wasn't the type to deal with them. With Yukina, they could never claim an injury to keep them from working. Joy. 

All conversation stopped as an enraged Koenma appeared at the head of the hall. 

****

It's time for the May/June Writer/Reader Reversal!! YAAAAAY!! 

Category: YuYu Hakusho   
Genre: Whatever you want!   
Length: No boundaries!   
Phrase: "Would you stop singing that song?!" (feel free to play around with punctuation!)   
Deadline: June 22 (that's the date we get out of school! YAY!)   
Prize: Pending...at the moment it's another author's note cameo! YAY!   
Submissions (or questions): Email us! Our email address can be found at our bio, or...QuickEdit won't let me write it, but here's the basic version (stuff in parentheses are symbols): evil(underscore)towel(at sign)yahoo.com ****

Submission form! 

Penname:   
Story Title:   
Genre:   
Rating:   
Story: Either a working link or the actual thing ****

Have fun! In the next chapter, we'll announce the winners of the past competition...we're just waiting for the first place winner to email us back. Yes, that's right people, Arashi and I are now giving out FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PLACE PRIZES!!! WOOHOO!!!! 

Review Responses: 

The Thief Kuronue: Love your name! It seems familiar somehow...hm...I loved your war chant! It made me really really happy! n.n I hope you liked the update! Stay tuned for the next one! 

flamin: Relax....I could never kill Kurama! He's only my favorite character...HOW COULD I POSSIBLY KILL HIM?! Gah...please don't stop reviewing! I neeeeed the revieeeeews... 

Koritsune Dragonrider: I'm pretty sure Kurama didn't die....at least, not yet... 

Dragonflyr: Yes, you do tend to kill people...but as long as they come back to life I'm fine with it. BTW, the team for the Isla Aku Tournament is coming out very slow....naming the people is very, very hard. I'm going to attempt it in a second, and email it to you....just be patient! 

bakurakrazie: You rock-ness for reviewing! 

Elyndewen Startree: PROBABLY? WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?! YOU'RE MAKING ME PANIC, LIZZIE!!! PAAAAAAANIIIIIIIC!!!! 

Anica106: I'm singing a song right now...it goes something like this: "They're gonna get in troooouble, they're gonna get in trooooouble..." Stick around; things are about to get a heck of a lot more complicated in Chapter Fourteen! 

LoveChild of Gehenna: n.n Thankies, Katie...did you know, my parents are cancelling our trip to...somewhere because of the weather. I'm depressed. 

kit-kit: Updates! Okay! Thanks for reviewing! 

Rose16: Wow, you're cheerful....but glomp Hiei instead of Kurama! Kurama's MINE! ((snatches Kurama away, hands Hiei over)) Arashi's not obsessed ever since he killed her other favorite character....BUT KURAMA'S MINE! My precious... 

HieilovesBotan: I agree with both of you! 

Hieisbestbuddy888: Okay! ((continues)) 

Squeakers: EEEEP! DON'T KILL ME!!!!...but like I said, if you kill the author, you never get an update... 

Angelique: I watched those too! Karasu is creeeeeeepy....so are cliffies....oh, and if you like cliffies, you'll like the next couple chapters! n.n I had fun writing them. 

Allanby Biazury: Thanks! AU's are supposed to be different...I hope it's a good different! 

koriaena: ((nodnod)) You've got it. YAY FOR KARASU UNCONSCIOUSNESS! Wait 'til you see where Kuwabara puts him... 

Kala(chan): Well, Kurama's not dead...so start reading! n.n It's all right if you don't read the other fics....but trust me, they're not that bad... 

koshin: Well, I don't intend to just drop it off like some authors do...ARGH! Those people annoy the heck out of me--they've got really good stories and then they just go and...stop! Smack in the middle! It's sooooo annoying... 

Hedi Dracona: Oh, I'm sorry....lollipops make you feel better! ((hands over lollipop)) 

Sapphire Angel: n.n I fully intend to! Is the "o.o" a good one or bad? 

Silver Foxglove: Even the villains need their fans! n.n 

Meg: Here! ((hands over Karasu voodoo doll)) Enjoy! I'm trying to keep it Yusuke-centric, but it's hard...especially since Kurama is my favorite character, it's hard not to write about him! But it does get a lot more Yusuke-centric in upcoming chapters--I promise. 

ryoohki800: Thank you! I will! ((updates)) 

aqua-flames: To be honest, it confused me too...d'you want me to call you and yell "UPDATE!" in your ear? I didn't even know you had fics....hmm....interesting...ah, don't shut up! I don't mind rambling...Lord knows I do it often enough... 

Allanby Biazury: n.n Thank you! I'll try my hardest! ((updates)) 

Woodelf193: I live to please! I live to interest my readers so they'll....be interested! ...that was pathetic. 

badlucknumba13: ORO! Rurouni Kenshin! YAY!!! Oh, I just assumed people wouldn't like the way I ended, and I did get a couple death threats... 

Zeke Wolf: Yes, ma'am! Arashi's in charge of the Counselors, I can't control that...and I've only seen a couple more episodes than you have...but only a couple. ((sigh)) I want the next DVD to come out... 

**_WOAH, that's a ton of reviews...I LOVE IT!!! MORE MORE MORE!!! ...I'm too greedy, ignore me. But do you blame me? n.n _**


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Lucky Reprieve

**_Niyali--Hi everybody! Lucky me, I'm home sick with an intestinal infection, so you all get an update! YAAAAAY!!...for the update, not the infection. So, while Arashi-chan's stuck in Science class, I'm bringing you another update! And you knew that already! _**

Sycogerl64--Hi! 

Niyali--Hi! ((glances at watch)) You're early, but that's okay! Everyone, this is Sycogerl64, the famous author of Ice Dreams of Fire and the other story I can't remember the name of! 

Sycogerl64-- Nightmares: Old Oaths. 

Niyali--That's it. Anyway, today she's appearing in our author's note as a special guest because--you guessed it--she won first place in the April Writer/Reader Reversal!! ((confetti balls explode overhead)) YAAAAY!! 

Arashi--((applauds madly)) 

Science Teacher--((looks at Arashi strangely)) 

Arashi--n.n;; Sorry. 

Niyali--Sycogerl64's winning story is not, unfortunately, posted on ff.net, so if you want a copy of it, email her! 

Sycogerl64--n.n 

Niyali--...and I'm running out of things to say. ((hands Sycogerl64 a sheet of paper)) You can read the announcements. 

Sycogerl64--Okay! Announcement Number 1: The Tournament is currently on hold! Niyali is stumped (once again) with a major Writer's Block, but as soon as she posts this update she's going to go work on it! 

Niyali--o.O I am? ((grabs sheet, skims it over)) Arashi, you've been writing on my notes again! 

Arashi--((still in science class)) Ah...ah...AH-VROOL!! ((sneezes)) 

Sycogerl64--((grabs paper from Niyali)) Announcement Number 2: The deadline for the next Writer/Reader Reversal is coming up fast, so keep writing! If you need the information, it's on Evil Towel's bio and Chapter 13 of TGIAG. ((smug)) I already submitted my entry. 

Niyali--((gasp)) Have you been adding stuff to my notes too?!? 

Sycogerl64--n.n; Announcement Number 3: Go read the chapter before Niyali decides to kill me! 

Niyali--YOU HAVE BEEN ADDING STUFF!!! NAUGHTY SYCOGERL!! NAUGHTY!! 

Sycogerl: n.n;;; 

**Chapter Fourteen:  
Lucky Reprieve**

"WHAT WERE YOU _THINKING_, RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT? IF TOGURO FINDS OUT, YOU COULD ALL BE _KILLED_!" 

"But Kurama would have died!" Jin protested. 

"NO HE WOULDN'T! TOGURO WOULD KILL KARASU FOR KILLING HIM BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN CONTROL PLANTS! I THOUGHT YOU KNEW THAT!" 

The kitchen seemed to be the room of choice, as the four culprits were sitting at the island, listening to Koenma going 'blah blah blah'. Jorge and Genkai stood against the walls, watching but not interrupting (they knew what would happen if they did: Koenma would bite their heads off). Touya sat on the counter. 

"Koenma, be reasonable!" Botan said, standing up, "When we got there, Karasu was torturing Kurama with no reason whatsoever! Do you honestly think that he was going to stop until Kurama was half _dead_?" Koenma opened his mouth to reply, but Genkai cut him off. 

"All right, Koenma, that's enough. I think we should hear their side of the story before you berate them further." 

"Yeah!" Yusuke agreed, "We had _reasons_, you know!" 

"Oh, really?" Koenma turned to him, "I'm listening." 

"Koenma, don't be stupid," Genkai interrupted, "If you paid a speck of attention to what went on around you, you'd know that if they hadn't gone, Kurama would definitely be dead. And don't give me that nonsense that 'Toguro couldn't afford to lose him'--do you honestly think Karasu _cares_?" Koenma mumbled something unintelligible. "Now shut up and listen to their side of the story." When it was obvious neither she nor Koenma was going to say anything, Botan started into a quick version of what had happened, beginning with when Hiei had woken them all up, and ending with their arrival back at home. When she had finished, there was a silence. 

Koenma sighed. 

"It's not that I'm against you going to get Kurama," he said, sucking furiously on his pacifier, "It's Toguro I'm worried about. When he finds out what you did, you could be in serious trouble." 

"But what about Karasu?" There was a horrified pause. Karasu...Koenma was right. Once Karasu woke up and realized that they, as well as Kurama, were gone, he'd head straight back and tell Toguro--and then they'd all be in one giant pickle. 

"If Karasu doesn't come back," Botan started, thinking out loud, "Toguro'll start to wonder..." 

"We are so _screwed_!" Jin moaned, letting his head hit the table, "Why didn't we think of this before?" 

"You were so intent on rescuing Kurama you forgot about the consequences," Touya summed it up, "It happens. You'll do better next time." 

"_Next_ time?" Yusuke asked, "You mean Karasu's going to do this _again_?" 

"No," Koenma interrupted, "There won't be a next time." 

"This event may have been to our advantage," Hiei mused, "Once Toguro sees how damaged Kurama is, it's doubtful he'll let Karasu escort him anywhere ever again." 

"You don't know Toguro," Jorge said flatly. The way he said that sent chills down Yusuke's spine, and he could tell he wasn't the only one. 

"Never mind," Koenma sighed, and folded his arms across his chest, "I suppose I can't punish you-you thought you were right, and the important thing is, Kurama is safe with us. Now go get some rest-classes and chores will resume tomorrow. You're on your own for the rest of the day." There was a scramble to get out of the kitchen; none of the students wanted to stay behind. 

Once they were all out in the hallway, Botan let out a sigh of relief. 

"That could've gone better." 

"At least we're not grounded," Jin pointed out, 

"Grounded?" Yusuke was confused. What was 'grounded'? 

"It's a punishment," Botan explained, "We're confined to the House for a set amount of time--Koenma usually decides how long. In extreme cases, we're limited only to our rooms, and we're not allowed to go anywhere else." Yusuke grimaced. It didn't sound too good. 

"The only reason you're not grounded is because you save Kurama's life," Genkai said from behind them. Yusuke jumped about three feet in the air; he hadn't heard her coming. 

But none of the others looked even a tiny bit surprised, much less like Genkai had nearly given them a heart attack. Genkai smirked at Yusuke's expression. 

"Don't look so surprised, boy," she told him, "When you've had as much Training as they have, you'll be able to sense and identify somebody's energy a mile away." 

"Could I do that?" Yusuke asked, blinking in astonishment. 

"Of course you can. All of them--" She jerked her head towards the other four, "--learned; some had an easier time than others." She looked pointedly at Hiei when she said that. The fire demon only "hn"ed and looked away, his third eye briefly glowing on his forehead. 

A new conversation started as people talked about their experience with learning to sense energy. From there the subject changed to Training, and it was only when Genkai asked about Karasu that Yusuke started to pay attention. 

"I didn't see what happened," Botan was saying, "When I arrived Karasu was already unconscious." 

"I saw it," Jin piped up, "Urameshi blasted him with his Spirit Energy--Karasu was hit so hard he went right through a tree!" 

"Did he really?" Botan asked, as she turned to Yusuke, "How did you do that?" 

"How should I know?" Yusuke shrugged, "I just...it just sort of--all I did was point at him and the blast came by itself. That's it." 

"Huh," Botan murmured, putting a finger to her chin in confusion, "I thought for sure you couldn't control your energy enough to do that." 

"He can't." All eyes turned to Genkai, who was staring at Yusuke intently. 

"Oh?" Botan asked, "Then what happened?" 

"His emotions got the better of him. The power of emotions is a force not to be reckoned with. Even the weakest fighter can have an extreme power boost from their emotions--enough to do what is needed. Emotions allow you to use your Spirit Energy in ways you would never dream you could--you alone cannot draw it out." 

"Wait--so you're saying my _emotions_ let me throw Karasu through a tree?" 

"Of course, dimwit; you haven't had enough Training to do anything properly. But when you saw Karasu torturing Kurama, you were angry, and that anger allowed you to tap into your power and channel it through your finger. Without that anger boosting your abilities, Karasu would probably have blown you to bits." 

"You're kidding! A person's feelings can allow them to do that!?" It was obvious Jin didn't quite believe her. 

"Hmph. I may be old, but I'm not insane." 

"Of course!" Touya's face lit up, and he looked as if he'd just solved a thousand-year-old riddle, "It's an old Shinobi training method--to find out a person's specific ability the masters would trick them into using it by manipulating their emotions--" 

"Wait, wait," Yusuke turned to him, "What's a Shinobi?" Touya froze, and all the color and enthusiasm seemed to drain out of him. 

"Nothing," he said softly, "Only a memory." 

"Touya--" Touya turned swiftly and began walking away; Jin ran after him. "Touya, wait!" 

Yusuke turned back to the others. 

" 'Shinobi'?" 

"It's what he was," Hiei said, quietly, "Touya, Jin, everybody on their plantation is a Shinobi. Well--_was_ a Shinobi." 

"What happened?" Yusuke asked, already dreading the answer. Hiei paused and closed his eyes. When he opened them they blazed with such hatred Yusuke was glad he was looking at the wall and not at him. 

"Toguro got them."

* * *

Review Responses! 

Dragonflyr: Extra, extra, read all about it! Koenma goes berserk! n.n Again! You're completely right about fanfics-the people are already made up for me! I can make settings, histories, and events all happen easily, but the characters that play in the world I create...no good. 

LoveChild of Gehenna: I already said we could write it! And I'm working on Chapter Seventeen, but I need to update the Tournament (someday) and should probably write more on Switched... 

The Thief Kuronue: Don't hurt them! It's not nice! Yes, the stars did show up in the reviews, and a good thing, too. If ff.net somehow managed to "censor" the reviews... 

Anime Girl8: o.O ...sucks to be Karasu, that's all I'm saying. 

B/k: Nicknames are fun! :D So are Scottish people! 

Anica106: Thanks! It's hard to deal with Jin; I want to write him hyper, because the image of Jin in my head is of a hyperactive Jin, but that would make him too OOC, so I can only make him hyper every couple of chapters or so...argh! Writing in character is so hard! T.T 

Meg: I don't think people will copy it-they might take your idea and reuse it a little, but never copy! Ff.net doesn't allow that. Ff.net doesn't allow a lot of things, for that matter... 

aqua-flames: I know how that goes... 

Elyndewen Startree: Ah, they died. Don't tell! T.T I know what an asterisk is. Ff.net doesn't allow them anymore, so you're stuck with parentheses. ((cries)) 

What2callmyself: No! NOT THE EVIL SEA OTTERS!!! ((runs away)) Obsession thingie...what, you mean Karasu? He's just perverted. And strange. Oh, by the way, I don't think you submitted a review for Chapter 13...I go through the reviews one by one and I didn't see your name... 

Rose16: ((barricades door)) Arashi likes Wolf's Rain. I don't know a thing about it. Kuwabara...I feel sorry for him. Nobody really understands him, they're always making fun of him. 

koriaena: Yeah...but I think we're all a bit dim at times. Don't worry about Karasu; Kuwabara's on the case! ;) 

Meg: You do? YAY! I just put it down as PG-13 because of the swears (naughty Yusuke) and what Karasu does to Kurama. This way, I can write it how I see it, and not have to worry about censoring. 

Saria19: Hell! Have you heard "Hell", by the Squirrel Nut Zippers? Squirrel as in the animal, nut as in peanut, and zipper as in the thing that's not a button. It's an _awesome_ song... "but tomorrow there'll be hell to pay..." ((goes off singing)) I'll take your bet, though...even though it's not really fair since I'm the author and I _write_ the thing...((shrug)) Sorry... 

Sanada Yukimura: Welcome to The Grass is Always Greener; may I take your order? n.n Always great to have new readers; how'd you find us? :D Ah, yes, the story is AU...I don't think I could write a good story that isn't AU (gawd, the Tournament...badness.). Thanks for reviewing! 

The Legendary Beckster: I hope that too! And I'm not sure if the bracelets _could_ get more restrictive...but Toguro's not stupid (contrary to most opinions), he'll probably notice Karasu's absence, and when he does...to quote Hell, "Tomorrow there'll be hell to pay!" 

flamin: Well, I could hardly kill my favorite character, now could I? 

Akumu-Seiki: School sucks...we get out on the 22nd. Wait'll you see where Kuwabara puts Karasu-it's funny! :D 

Chanson-DeLa-Sirenes: Sorry! I need to come up with another line thingy...ff.net killed my other one... 

Drifter008 & Drifyer008: Huh? What do you mean, "who is your source"? I'm confused... a.a 

Keeper of Light: :D I'm so glad you like it! Hope the last chapter was good, too! 

**_So, how'd you like the ending? _**


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Dream A Dream

**_Hello everybody...sorry this took so long. I thought summer would mean I had more time to write--well, I do, but I'm just too lazy to post. _**

GryphonChild--((snirk)) 

Niyali--Shut up. Thanks for your concern with my stomach infection, people--it made me feel loved. I'm much over it now...now I think I may have pneumonia. Anyway, peoples, I'd like to introduce to you the second place winner of the April Writer/Reader Reversal, and the winner of the May/June one as well! 

((applause)) 

GryphonChild--n.n 

Niyali--Should you like to read her winning stories, email her at pir8parrot (a) Aside from that, she's undergoing a humongous trial, like I am-- 

Arashi--((pops up)) You mean the German lessons? 

Niyali--((glares)) 

Arashi--Sorry. 

Niyali--No! GryphonChild (aka Lizard) is trying to write a _Tournament_. But she can't do it because she needs characters! 

Lizard--((nodnod)) 

Niyali--If you'd like to sign up, go to her website at: 

Lizard--Click on "YYH fanfics" and go from there, please! 

Niyali--It's a lot of fun! n.n Arashi-chan and I already submitted our characters. 

Lizard-- -.- Arashi did. You have yet to send yours. 

Niyali--As soon as I post this! So go submit your characters, please! Then she'll post the happyful story on and we can all rejoice at seeing ourselves on the big screen! 

Arashi--((stretches arms out for emphasis)) The biiiiiiiiiig screen! 

Lizard--Thanks in advance! Now, is there a list of announcements I get to read? 

Niyali--Wha-huh? 

Lizard--You let Sycogerl read some, I want to to! ((pouts)) 

Niyali--Fine! ((scribbles stuff on a piece of paper)) Here. 

Lizard--YAY! Announcement Number One: If you people have time, go read Niyali's new fic, "It's A Lot of Fun!" n.n It really is. 

Niyali--Are you adding stuff to my notes like Sycogerl did? 

Lizard--Um...((shifty eyes)) Announcement Number Two: If anybody's interested in joining a story chain, please email the authors! ((puts notes down)) What the heck is a story chain? 

Niyali--((brightens up)) Glad you asked, Lizard! A story chain is-- 

Arashi--((seizes paper from Lizard)) Announcement Number Three: GO READ THE CHAPTER!! 

Niyali and Lizard--HEY! 

Lizard--My announcements...T.T 

::::::::::

Chapter Fifteen:   
Dream A Dream

Kuwabara breathed a sigh of relief as he shut the door and leaned against it. He'd managed to drag Karasu all the way from his "secret thinking spot" without being seen--but _boy_, did Karasu need to go on a diet! He was heavy...well, Karasu'd be waking up with a bunch of bruises and scrapes from being dragged along the ground, but it wasn't Kuwabara's fault. 

"Hey, Kazuma!" 

"What? Oh, hey Sis." Shizuru came up to him. 

"Where the heck have you been?" she asked, "You've still got Kurama's blood all over you-if you don't get it out of your clothes right now, it'll stain and we'll have to account for it to Shiori and Atsuko!" 

"What?" Kuwabara glanced down at himself; sure enough, there were bloodstains on his clothes, "Sorry Sis--I kinda forgot--I'll go do it..." 

"Hey, Kazuma?" Shizuru called, as he began to walk away towards the stream. He turned. 

"Yeah?" 

"What were you doing in front of the outhouse?" 

::::::::: 

"No good," Jin said, as he shut the door, "He's locked the door." Botan and Yusuke were sitting on the roof of the House, doing nothing. It was funny; Yusuke never imagined he'd have time to spend just doing nothing. He always assumed he'd be busy doing chores--or once he moved here, Training or learning something. But here he was, on the roof of the House with Botan (and now Jin), doing nothing but watching the clouds go by. It was kind of nice, actually. 

"Did he lock it, or--" 

"He froze it shut." Botan sighed. 

"I wish he wouldn't do that," she whined, "Hiei's the only one who can melt it down, and even if we could get him to do that, Yukina's the only one who can stand those temperatures long enough to talk to Touya, and unfortunately she's sleeping." 

"Sleeping?" Yusuke asked, sitting up (he'd been laying on his back), "I thought she was healing Kurama!" 

"Didn't you tell him?" Jin asked Botan. 

"Tell him what?" Botan looked blank for a moment, "OH! That. No, it must've slipped my mind." She laughed. "Sorry, Yusuke. Yukina's asleep because she used up a lot of her energy and needs to gain it back. She said she had to replace a great deal of the blood Kurama lost before she could heal anything else, because he could go into a coma and never wake up if he doesn't have enough blood. So on top of that, and healing as many of his wounds as she could, she's exhausted." 

"Oh," Yusuke felt sorry for her. Nobody spoke for a while; the only voice that could be heard was Genkai's, floating out one of the windows. 

"DIMWIIIIIIIIIIT! WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU!?!?" 

"Oh, CRAP!" Yusuke leapt up and raced for the door, "I'm late for Training!" 

"Training?" Botan looked at Jin, "I thought Genkai said there was no Training today on account of--" 

"When she found out what Urameshi's capable of, she assigned him a ton of Training," Jin said, "Poor guy--I feel sorry for him. He's got about twice the work we have..." 

"He's so--so--" Botan searched for the word. 

"Irresponsible," Jin said, nodding sagelike. Botan shot him a look. 

"You're a fine one to talk." Jin grinned and chose to ignore her. 

"I just wish he'd trust us more," Botan sighed, "I mean, if we don't know anything about him, how are we supposed to understand what goes on on that brain of his? I know I don't." Jin surprised her by giving an answer that actually made sense. 

"I don't think anybody does." 

::::::::: 

_"Now you're going to hold that pose for one hour." _

"ONE HOUR?!?" 

"It was originally half an hour, but since you were LATE we have to make up for lost time! Now quit yaking and concentrate, you dimwit!" 

Yusuke was really starting to hate Genkai. 

Honestly, how were you supposed to stand on a spike? With _one finger_? It was impossible! ...okay, so technically it wasn't impossible since he was doing it, but still! What kind of training was levitating on a spike? ...all right, so it made you focus your Spirit Energy in one place so you could hold yourself up, and Yusuke supposed that was important, but this was _hard_, dammit! 

He wondered how long he'd been doing this...surely the hour had to be almost up... 

The door to the Training room opened; Yusuke didn't dare risk looking up. He was sure he'd lose his concentration, and then Genkai would make him start all over... 

"Pardon me, Master Genkai," Touya said, "I didn't know you were Training." _TOUYA?_ But Jin said he'd locked himself in his room! 

"It's all right," Genkai replied, "You can use the corner--just don't extend too far." Corner? Extend? Confusion got the better of him, and Yusuke risked a quick glance upwards. 

Sure enough, Touya was sitting cross-legged in one of the corners of the room, hands folded in his lap and eyes closed. The air within a three-foot radius of him had turned an icy blue; from the energy increase in the room, Yusuke knew Touya was using his powers to create that circle. But why? Was he...meditating, or something? But why come down here to do it? Couldn't he just do it in his room? 

"Have you mastered that technique?" Genkai's voice broke through Yusuke's thought, "Or are you just daydreaming?" 

"What's he doing?" Yusuke dared to ask, still looking at Touya. 

"It's a calming exercise," Genkai explained, "Touya is an expert at it--he and Jin are the only ones who can ever complete it successfully." 

"I wish you wouldn't talk as if I can't hear you," Touya said quietly. 

"I am lecturing," Genkai retorted, "And no, dimwit--" (This was to Yusuke) "--you won't be able to do something like that. At least," she grinned, "Not for a while. Now keep concentrating; you've still got forty-five minutes left." 

"Forty-five minutes?!" Yusuke nearly fainted. "Ugh..." 

What had he ever done to deserve this? 

::::::::: 

"All right, dimwit. You've done enough for now. Take a break." With those words, Yusuke released the energy in his finger and fell over backwards, heart pounding wildly and breathing heavily. He didn't even notice as Genkai removed the spike and left the room; all he was concentrating on was staying alive. 

_What a workout,_ he thought, once his breathing slowed down some, _Does she put the others through this kind of training?_ He sat up and wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his hand. He could really use a shower... 

He glanced over into the corner again; Touya was still sitting there. He hadn't moved since Yusuke had first seen him; it appeared he was oblivious to the world. 

_Wow,_ Yusuke thought, staring enviously at Touya's energy circle, _I wish I could do that._

"It's a Shinobi exercise," Touya stated calmly, and Yusuke jumped. Had he spoken out loud? "All the Shinobi learn it." 

"There you go with the Shinobi again. What the heck is a Shinobi?" Touya didn't answer; he just sat there. Yusuke wasn't even sure he'd heard. He was about to ask again when he noticed something. 

The edges of Touya's sphere were wavering, pulsing--it wasn't even anymore. But it had been a second ago--was Touya loosing control? But Genkai had said he was a master at that technique...what could he possibly be thinking about? 

"I suppose you'd find out sooner or later," Touya said, and sighed. His sphere disappeared, and Yusuke blinked. Find out--find out what? So many things came to mind...there was so much he wanted to know, so much he wanted to ask--so many questions buzzing through his head. 

"It will be later," Genkai announced, coming into the room, "Yusuke has a lot more Training to do before he's finished for the night. If you're done, Touya, get out of here." 

"Of course, Master Genkai." Wiping an invisible speck of dust from his pants, Touya stood up and headed for the door. But Yusuke wasn't going to let him leave without getting an answer. 

"What the heck is a Shinobi?" Touya froze; Genkai glared at Yusuke and opened her mouth to rebuke him. 

"Just think of them as a larger version of the Freedom Slaves," the Ice Master said, before she could, "That should give you something to go on." And then he left. 

::::::::: 

_Five Hours Later_

::::::::: 

"Hello, Yusuke!" Botan only received a glare for her efforts as Yusuke continued on his upwards trek to his room. "Fine, be that way." The ferrygirl continued on her route downstairs, ignoring the dark cloud moving the opposite way that was Yusuke. 

Yusuke didn't want to talk to Botan right now. 

He didn't want to talk to anybody. 

All he wanted was his bed. 

Genkai hadn't given him another break for hours, and by the end of Training, he could have slept on her floor and called it wonderful. But she'd kicked him out of the room, and forced him to go to his own. So here he was, trekking up the million-something steps (this was an exaggeration on his part) towards the door that blocked his room off from the world. 

The afore-mentioned door was reached in a couple minutes, pulled open, and slammed with no consideration for the walls around it. Yusuke promptly forgot about it; he didn't see it anymore. He didn't see his dresser, he didn't notice the window, the hole in the ceiling could not be there anymore for all he cared. All he saw was his bed. 

::::::::: 

_"No, you don't understand! You don't want to do this!" _

"We understand perfectly well..." 

"It's not what you think, YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!" A pale hand, reaching through the darkness towards him, glowing with some unnatural green light-a blue wall, shooting into existence- 

Yusuke woke up. 

It took a moment for him to recognize his surroundings, and to realize that he was lying, fully dressed, on his bed. Huh...he didn't even remember getting on it. Slowly, he sat up. No light came through the windows--it was probably around midnight. His stomach growled--well, he hadn't eaten since when, lunch? Breakfast? It might even have been last night--hm. That wouldn't do. Time for him to get some food. 

Before he could move, voices reached his ears. One of them seemed like he'd heard it only moments before--but that couldn't be. Moments before, he'd been asleep. And dreaming. 

"--I wish it had never happened." 

"It's not your fault, Touya." Touya! That's where he'd heard it--one of the voices in his dream had been Touya! But Jin hadn't been in the dream...and he was definitely hearing Jin's voice right now. 

"I know--that's what everybody says." _Everybody says...what? Honestly, Touya, couldn't you be a bit more specific?_ Yusuke knew that he was eavesdropping, but he didn't care. What happened? What did Touya do that wasn't his fault? 

"It's not your fault," Jin was insisting, "Honestly, Touya, haven't we had this conversation before? And every single time we end going over the same road: it's not _your_ fault you couldn't complete the mission, it's not _your_ fault the war started, it's not your fault Toguro caught you, it's not your fault he caught me! These things happen, Touya; _it's not your fault_." 

"So why did the Shinobi end?" Touya's voice was bitter. "Why are we the only two left? Why? I'll tell you why: because of that stupid war. And why did we have that? Because Toguro caught me. And--" 

"THAT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!" Jin was getting upset. "You could have _died_, Touya! What you did was in self-defense--it's not your fault Toguro had his eye on you from the moment you started the mission! There's nothing you could do about that! If that was true, the mission was bound to fail from the very beginning--the war was inevitable. We would've had to sooner or later, anyway." There was an uncomfortable silence. 

"Besides," Jin continued, and he didn't seem so upset anymore, "It's not your fault. You were only following the code. 'A Shinobi keeps his powers a secret from anybody and everybody, except under threat of his own life.'" 

" 'Especially during a mission.' I remember that." Touya sighed. "I remember my initiation day--when I got my name." Got his name? What on earth did that mean? "I still remember the recitations we had to do. Don't you?" 

"Not me. I got my name early, for the war." 

"Of course." There was a pause, before Touya started to speak again. It sounded as if he was reciting something. 

" 'I pledge to serve the Shinobi faithfully and without complaint. I dedicate my life to the Shinobi; I pledge to use my abilities to further help our cause.' 

" 'I dream the same dream as the Shinobi-I dream of a world without slavery. And I am willing to do anything in my power to make that dream come true.'" Yusuke was in shock. A world without slavery? Could such a thing exist? He'd always known life as a slave-could there ever be a time when all people were equal, with no masters and no slaves? He almost laughed. For that to happen, somebody would have to get rid of Toguro. 

"I remember my first mission," Jin was saying, "It was with a bunch of the others--of course, we weren't full-fledged Shinobi yet, so we didn't have our names." A thought suddenly occurred to Yusuke. Maybe, if you were a Shinobi, you didn't get a name until you become of age, or until you had passed a certain test or something! Then you got an official name, because you were officially a Shinobi! That made sense. _Huh. If that's the case, I wonder what Jin and Touya were called before they became Shinobi._ "We were going to free a group of slaves from Rando's plantation--" 

"I remember that!" Touya cut in, "That was the mission that didn't work because one of the people nearly demolished one of the buildings!" 

"Um...that was me." There was a pause before Touya started laughing. Yusuke struggled to contain his own laughter; they couldn't know he was listening. "Shut UP, Touya! Stop laughing! It's not like nothing ever happened to you!" 

"I suppose you're right," Touya agreed, his laughter ceasing for the moment, "To be honest, my first mission was a success--we got the group of slaves back to the plantation all in one piece." 

"And you messed up...how?" Jin sounded skeptical. 

"Well, I didn't-but one of my teammates nearly drowned half of them in one of the lakes we were passing. I suppose he thought he was trying to help--he said something about them needing a bath--but if our Leader hadn't been able to control water, they would have died!" The conversation switched to past experiences. Yusuke zoned out, trying to recollect what he'd just learned. 

The Shinobi were like a giant Freedom Slaves Organization--he supposed each one of them had to have abilities like those living here did. If Jin and Touya had them, and that Leader guy did, it kind of made sense, right? So, they all had abilities, and they used them to free slaves from other plantations; when they were old enough to be called "Shinobi", they earned their true names. That was how Jin and Touya became Jin and Touya. 

But there were a few things Yusuke still didn't get. How had Touya and Jin gotten to Toguro's? And what was this stuff he kept hearing about a war? And where were the Shinobi now-if two of their members were in captivity, why weren't they trying to free them? He started to listen again, hoping to gain answers to some of his questions. 

Unfortunately for Yusuke, his exhaustion caught up with him and he fell asleep before he could learn anything else. 

::::::::: 

Review Responses: 

The Thief Kuronue: Don't worry; the infection's all gone now. I think anybody would be pissed off if their evil overlord went and ruined a whole civilization....oops. n.n I didn't say anything! 

bakurakrazie: Sorry, I'm just really good at those...there's more to come, don't worry! Oh, did you tell me to call you bk? I'm sorry, I just copy/paste from the Internet review alert thing....was it b/k? Or bk? Or something? 

flamin: Thanks a bunch...I most certainly will! I'm not about to stop here, there's so much more to write about... 

Elyndewen Startree: Yahoo did something new...100 MB or something. I hit 5% of it yesterday...I'm so proud of myself! 

The Legendary Beckster: ((giggle)) Yusuke the newbie...I like it. As Arashi would know, I like it very much.... 

LilxAznxDragonz: Don't worry, I'm up to Chappie 17 on the manuscript, and there's at least five more after that...heck, maybe I'll even hit thirty chapters! That would be great... 

shadowcat241: ...please...don't hurt me....you won't get any more chapters if you do...((edges away)) 

Anica106: I'm feeling much better--if you ignore the cold Arashi and I now have--thanks a bunch! It's easy to feel sorry for them all (so much fun to write...)...except Koenma (also fun to make his life a pain). Yusuke and Kurama's mothers...I'm debating about that. If not in this story, perhaps in the next... 

What2callmyself: End of chapter; the story's end is nowhere in sight. I hope you feel better now! 

Koritsune Dragonrider: I know...I feel sorry for him too. Next chapter, it'll be explained more--well, Yusuke'll learn some on his own, and since he won't be able to stand the questions it pulls up, he'll drag it out of Touya... 

OnlyDreamsForNow: You should really read it, Jake...the other 215 reviewers say so. 

Keeper of Light: n.n Thanks...I'm over it now. Now I've got another cold...think it might be pnuemonia... 

Meg: I'm just kind of slow...sorry... 

aqua-flames: What can I say? Hiei's a creepy guy. Don't worry, it wasn't that painful, just a little...disgusting. 

sakurasango: I hate it when brothers do that...but anyway, thanks for reading! Always good to see a new reviewer. 

Rose16: Pizza! YAY! n.n Kuwabara does make a good conversation topic, you have a point... 

Dragonflyr: Amazing how one event can just push the other one right out of your mind...too be honest, even I'd forgotten about it! But not anymore...((evil laugh)) 

koriaena: n.n Thanks! The fic's _far_ from being over, have no fear... 

Angelique: For the Shinobi, you can just see the next two upcoming chapters. For Jorge...well, even I haven't gotten there yet. n.n;; 

HieilovesBotan: That's okay, I don't mind. ((passes Mustard food from HieilovesBotan's fridge)) n.n 

Seth: Thanks! Continue reviewing...they're pretty good too. 

jagan: Thank you! 

GraBetty: You certainly did surprise me...did you read more? 

Sycogerl64: ((note to self: give Sycogerl64 first kick on Toguro's butt)) n.n Thanks _so much_ for reviewing! It made Arashi and me reeeeeeeeally happy to get reviewed by such a famous author. 

Raven: See above chapter. 

Courtney: Thank you! 

Drifter008: ...well, I suppose not...something wrong? You've been kind of anti-social towards me... 

**_And special thanks to our _**200th reviewer**_, OnlyDreamsForNow! You're great---keep on reviewing! (My goal is 1000 reviews...but I don't think we'll get there). ((sigh))... _**


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Touya's Tale

**_Hello all--thanks for your support with the Tournament and Arashi's new wave of one-shots! More's on the way! This note'll be quick, I've managed to work myself into a small depression by a combination of Linkin Park, my grandpa being in the hospital with internal bleeding, and the return of my intestinal infection (the internal symptoms are all there, as well as a couple external--the medicine makes me feel sicker)...I need something good to read (if you know of any good fics, happy or sad, let me know!), but deprived as I've been of Internet access, I've been writing all day. And since I'm depressed, what better to give you then a depressing chapter? _**

The Writer/Reader Reversal for July ends TOMORROW!! Please check our bio (all the way at the bottom--below the quotes) for submission information! 

Some of the more sensitive people out there may need tissues for this chapter... 

Review Responses at the bottom, as always. 

Chapter Sixteen:   
Touya's Tale

His first thought was that he'd gone blind, but soon he realized he was outside. There was no moon, and clouds covered the stars, making it pitch black. He'd have to be careful not to trip over anything. 

He'd been wrong; it wasn't pitch black. He turned around to see light coming from a tiny window. Oblivious to the fact that he was standing on thin air, Yusuke took a step up to it. As he went to look through, he blinked, and found himself standing inside the room. 

"That was weird," he muttered, "Where the heck am I?" The room didn't look familiar at all. Plain, white-washed wooden walls, floor, and high ceiling. It wasn't very big, either--maybe about thirteen feet by ten. Yusuke wondered what it was for--and what he was doing here. 

Before he could ponder that, the door flew open, and somebody was pushed into the room. 

"Touya?" Touya looked younger, somehow, but he didn't seem to hear Yusuke. Neither did the three people who next stepped into the room. 

Both Toguros and Karasu. 

"We've been running low on our supply of prey," Elder Toguro said, "But you knew that, didn't you? That's why you volunteered." 

"You've got this all wrong," Touya protested, picking himself up off the floor, "I don't know anything, I'm just one of your slaves!" 

"Did we tell you to stand?" Karasu raised his hand, and Yusuke was shocked to see a bomb form in the air and launch itself towards Touya. The Ice Master couldn't see it, apparently, as the only move he made was to sink to his knees in agony as the bomb tore his shoulder open. 

"YOU JERK!" Yusuke wanted to run over to Karasu, to punch that ugly face of his, but he found himself unable to do anything but stand and watch. 

"It's been so long since I've last been able to practice," Karasu muttered, and took a slow step towards Touya, "And you've been such a good slave--I almost hate to have to kill you." 

"No, you don't understand!" Touya was scrambling backwards, trying desperately to get away, "You can't do this to me!" 

"We understand well enough," Toguro (the younger one) said, "You're too honorable--you've never betrayed a single one of your fellow slaves since we first bought you. Most slaves would have done something like that in order to rise in my favor." 

"This is your own fault," Elder Toguro cut in, "If you hadn't been so observant and noticed the other slaves, if you hadn't gone out of your way to talk to them, you probably wouldn't be in this position." 

"No, it's not what you think!" Touya had the look of a cornered dog that knows it's about to be whipped, "YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" Karasu had literally backed him into a corner; Touya had nowhere left to go. Yusuke had to watch as Karasu lifted his pale hand; he had to watch as that hand began to glow with a green light. He had to watch as a dozen bombs materialized from that energy; he had to watch as they launched themselves at Touya. 

He watched as Touya flung up his arms in self-defense; he watched as ice sparkled into existence, creating a thick wall that the bombs couldn't penetrate. 

Yusuke watched as the younger Toguro smiled a smile of victory, and satisfaction, and the oldest Toguro began to laugh... 

**..::--::..**

"Good morning!" Botan exclaimed, as she waltzed into the kitchen. 

"Somebody's in a good mood," Genkai commented, as Botan helped herself to breakfast. Botan only laughed and spooned a healthy portion of eggs onto her plate. 

"Can't beat a good night's sleep!" The door to the kitchen slammed open. "Good morning, Yusuke!" Yusuke ignored her. "...Yusuke?" 

"Touya!" The Shinobi in question looked up from where he'd been conversing with Jin at the other end of the kitchen island. 

"Hm?" 

"Why was Karasu trying to kill you?!" There was a shocked silence. Yusuke's question had stunned them all. 

"How...how did you know about that?" Touya whispered, his face deathly pale. 

"That doesn't matter, did he really try to kill you?" Nobody spoke. "DID HE?!" 

"...yes," Touya finally answered, locking eyes with Yusuke, "Six years ago, Karasu tried to kill me." 

**..::--::..**

Twenty or so miles away, the man accused of nearly killing Touya was still lying unconscious and undiscovered. Yusuke had hit him well, and he'd be out for quite some time, but as for undiscovered... 

"EEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!! MASTER SUZAKU, THERE'S A DEAD MAN IN THE OUTHOUSE!!!!!" 

**..::--::..**

Six years--that was a long time. 

Six years ago, Yusuke'd been eight years old, just learning to cut sugar cane in Suzaku's fields. 

Six years ago, Keiko had been sold to Suzaku's plantation. 

Six years ago, Touya had almost been killed. 

Six years ago--well, Yusuke couldn't remember what else he'd been doing six years ago, but Touya nearly getting killed was big. REALLY big. There was no way Yusuke was going to let this one get away without an explanation--even if he had to tie Touya to a chair and beat it out of him. 

But for once, it seemed as if he was actually going to get some answers without having to pry it out of somebody-and Yusuke intended to take full advantage of that. 

If one was to look at the scene/action relationship (which is basically the place where the stuff is happening), they would see that this didn't really make sense. Here were five people (Touya, Jin, Yusuke, Botan, and Genkai--Yukina was still sleeping and nobody knew about the others) all sitting around a kitchen table (island, actually, but that's not the point) with half-eaten (in some cases, barely started) breakfasts in front of them, about to listen to a tale of woe and misery. 

Well, at least it was raining. 

"We weren't a very large plantation," Touya began, "Maybe about half the size of Toguro's. It didn't matter to us. Why should it matter? Why should it matter when each and every one us could use our Spirit Energy? We were better than Toguro could ever be--and we knew it. 

"Every Shinobi, from before they could walk until they became a Master, was a child, and had a child's name. Every child went through strict training, to become the best they could possibly be. I'm not sure who's stricter--the Shinobi Masters or Master Genkai." 

"Master Genkai," Jin said, immediately, "No question." 

"Shut up and let Touya continue the story." 

"See what I mean?" Jin quieted down when Genkai glared at him. Touya continued. 

"I'm sure you've gathered by now what the Shinobi did--free slaves. All slaves, from every plantation, so that we might one day live in a world without slavery. It was a noble dream--and we were all dedicated to its cause. 

"The Masters would design missions to free these slaves--and then they'd either go alone, or they'd take a group of children with them, as training." 

_...five pairs of watchful eyes stared out of the bushes, watching. A group of barefooted slaves came closer and closer, each carrying heavy bucketfuls of water, while an overseer with a whip pushed them onwards. _

"Ready..." whispered a voice, and each of the owners of the eyes shifted into position, "...set...NOW!" The earth shook as the two earth-controllers willed their power into it, causing the overseer and the group of slaves to fall to their knees. Even as it settled, plants sprung up from the ground to root the overseer in place. 

"If you want to be free, follow us!" The startled slaves didn't need any more prompting as they scurried up and into the bushes, the water that had fallen out of their buckets turning to ice so the overseer could not follow... 

"I was one of the more successful Shinobi at these missions--none of the ones I was in failed. That could be due to luck, but--" He paused and there was a moment of silence before he continued. 

"Anyway, it was because of my skill with these things that I became a Master much faster than some of the others my age. And that same skill caused me to be assigned one of the more perilous missions--a single one, because the need for secrecy was great. What was it? 

"Free Toguro's slaves." 

_"...this is extremely risky, Touya..." _

"I understand." 

"...all by yourself? The odds are against you..." 

"I know." 

"To be assigned this mission so soon...you've barely earned your name..." 

"I can do it." 

"Of course Toguro knew who the Shinobi were. Who didn't? The other plantations hated us for freeing their slaves--and we hated them for keeping slaves. But Toguro we hated the most. Why? That's a different story. 

"The Shinobi planned to 'sell' me to Toguro, and I'd live as his slave for a while, until I could gain his trust. Then, when he least expected it, his slaves would be free. 

"That was the plan. I lived as his slave for a little over a year, and every thing seemed to be going fine. Toguro has his slaves work harder than any other I've seen in my life, but it wasn't too bad. Training under the masters had prepared me, and I built up a good reputation faster than I thought I could. I was all set to free as many of his slaves as possible, but the night I was to tell them about it, something went wrong." 

"What happened?" Yusuke asked. With perfect dramatic timing, Touya answered. 

"I met Kurama." 

_...the boy looked up, shoulder-length red hair falling in his face. _

"Hi," he said, unusually calm for a nine-year old, "Are you one of the other slaves?" 

"Other slaves?" The boy nodded. 

"You must be one of them. You don't have a bracelet." He showed Touya his wrist, and the Shinobi stared at the silver band circling it. He could feel the restraining power from where he stood... 

"Up until then, I had no idea there was another group of slaves on the plantation. I don't think any of the Shinobi knew about them. By then I knew most of the slaves by name, or at least by sight. The fact that I'd never even heard about Kurama--or any of the Freedom Slaves, for that matter--said a lot about the cloud of secrecy Toguro shrouded them in. Naturally, I was curious, so I postponed my plans for freedom and went to learn more about them. 

"At that time, the Freedom Slaves was much smaller--about half the size of what it is now. Genkai, Koenma, Jorge, Hiei, Kurama--Botan'd only been there a week so she doesn't count." Botan's oar materialized out of nowhere and would have smacked him on the head if he hadn't ducked. "I'm only joking! 

"That was when it occurred to me--if I could free just those six slaves, would they be enough to help start a revolt? Would they be willing? They'd know Toguro best, as well as the plantation...it seemed a great idea at the time. I had it all planned out, and I was just about ready to do it when--well--" He stopped. 

"Toguro caught you?" Yusuke guessed. Touya's eyes flickered to Genkai and then down to his plate. "What?" 

"I'm not sure how much I can tell--" Yusuke exploded. 

"What, so I'm not allowed to hear the whole thing? In case you haven't noticed, I'm part of the Freedom Slaves too, you know! I deserve to know what's going on around me-or else how can I help!?" 

"Calm down, dimwit." That was Genkai. "Nobody's keeping anything from you. In case you haven't noticed, this is an extremely hard story for Touya to tell. It happens to be the story of how he became a slave, as well as many other things that _you_ wouldn't want to even dream about! So shut up," she glanced at Touya, "And let him talk." 

"Well," Touya sighed, "You were right, Yusuke--Toguro never let me get that far. He'd been keeping an eye on me, and when he saw how much time I was spending around the Freedom Slaves, he...he decided I knew too much, so--" Yusuke's eyes widened as he made a connection. 

"He was going to kill you, wasn't he?" 

"I-I couldn't help it." Touya was staring at his plate, refusing to meet anyone's eyes, "The whole time I'd kept my powers a secret from everybody--but when Karasu tried to kill me...I-I had no choice! I had to use my powers, a-and then Toguro found out..." There was an awkward pause. Touya finally mumbled something unintelligible and left the room. For the longest time afterwards, nobody spoke. 

Yusuke had to know. "What did they do to him?" 

"The same as the rest of us--fitted him with a bracelet and sent him over here." Botan sighed, "They say he resisted much more than any of us did; we didn't see that part." 

_...the door slammed open with such force it was thrown off its hinges. Such a sound could not be missed by anybody in the house, and it wasn't long before the first people were arriving. _

"What is the meaning of this?!" Genkai demanded, Botan right behind her, "If you expect us to live in this house, you at least have to give us a door!" 

"Sorry for the interruption," Elder Toguro said, not sounding sorry at all, "We just thought it would be nice to bring your new friend over--in person." 

"Friend?" Barely conscious, Touya was dragged out from behind the larger Toguro and thrown roughly into the house to land heavily on the floor. 

"TOUYA!" Kurama shoved his way past Hiei over to where his friend was lying, bleeding, on the floor of the foyer. 

"You know him?" Koenma couldn't contain his surprise, "Kurama, when did you meet this man?" Kurama ignored him and instead turned to those standing just beyond the threshold. 

"You did this--you hurt_ him!!" Plants sprung forth from his hair, zigzagging through the air towards those who called themselves "masters." _

"Kurama, NO!" Too late--the plants zipped through the doorway only to be caught in Karasu's hand. Mercilessly, he yanked, causing the boy to be dragged towards him. Unlike the plants, Kurama could not go through the door, and instead hit an invisible wall of electricity. 

Karasu laughed as Kurama's screams faded away, and the plants he was holding blew up in his hand. Kurama cried out in agony, twitching in pain on the floor. 

"Poor Kurama," he said smoothly, and reached across the doorstep to gently stroke Kurama's hair, "It hurts, doesn't it? Perhaps if you were to respect your superiors, there would be rewards instead of punishments..." Something nicked his throat, and he looked up to see the blade of a katana perilously close. 

"I hope you're aware that although I cannot cross the barrier, my sword can," Hiei said coldly, "I suggest you remove your hand and get out of the range of my blade before I do something you'll regret." Karasu smirked, and his hand slipped down to Kurama's face. A flash of anger crossed Hiei's, and Karasu danced out of the range of the katana, a taunting look in his eyes. Hiei glared at him. 

"Those who fraternize with the other slaves will be punished," Toguro said, and his brother laughed, "If you don't want to experience true pain, then stay away from them." 

"You can't keep us from doing what we want to do!" Botan protested. Toguro's eyes shifted to her, and she shrunk under his gaze. 

"We can't," he agreed, "But it didn't help the Shinobi." 

"...Shinobi?" 

"To be honest, that was the first time I'd ever heard of the Shinobi," Botan admitted. Genkai took over the narration. 

"When Touya recovered, he told us his true purpose for being here. He knew all about us, of course--Kurama had told him. I think Kurama saw through his disguise from the moment they met; maybe that's why he trusted him so readily. The same worked vice versa--Touya already trusted us, because he knew what we were. Once he told us that if he could get word to the rest of the Shinobi, we'd be free, our goal changed. 

"Unfortunately for us, the Shinobi trusted Touya too much. They weren't inclined to 'check up' on his progress, so we finally resorted to using Hiei's Jagan to contact them. Needless to say, they were not pleased." Jin snorted. 

"That's an understatement," he stated, "You should have seen it--they called a big meeting of all the official Shinobi, with their names and all, to discuss this 'extreme offense towards our people.' It was actually kind of funny--of course, nobody was thinking about that at the time." 

"How did you--" 

"I'm a Shinobi," Jin cut Yusuke off, "I'm younger than Touya is--I got my name a week or so after he was captured. Actually, I wasn't supposed to get it for another year or so--'too irresponsible', they said. 'Does not seem to be focused on work.' Well, they overruled that." 

"A year earlier?" Yusuke blinked, "I'm not an expert in these things, but why a year? Doesn't that seem...I dunno..." 

"Too early?" Jin asked. It was obvious he was having too much fun with Yusuke's ignorance. "We've been over that before, Urameshi. Besides, I wasn't the only one. Every 'child' at that time who could control their powers to some extent were named early. Simple reason, really." 

"What was it?" Jin looked up, his eyes meeting Yusuke's. 

"To fight in the war, of course." 

**..::--::..**

Review Responses: 

Dragonflyr: Thanks for your submissions! Contest ends tomorrow, so you'll find out soon! 

Sanada Yukimura: Thanks for your confidence! Um...Karasu's not exactly next to an outhouse, as we found out...n.n Poor Touya...just wait 'til next time...oh, by the way, don't worry about the "10 reviews" bit...the review system's a little wacked. I got your meaning. 

koriaena: A review! n.n 

Koritsune Dragonrider: Jin's a great friend...we should all have a friend like him! ((hugs Arashi-chan)) She's close enough. n.n 

HieilovesBotan: ...I'm sorry? ((restocks fridge with special mustard-proof food)) There! All yours! 

Rose16: ((eats pizza)) Yay! Um...no killer bunnies in this story...yet! ((evil cackle)) 

Wild Roses: n.n;; Thanks! I'm glad you like it so much--I try to keep the characters IC, but it can be difficult with all of them...writing villans is hard. Ah, well, at least the constant cliffies keep you on your toes! :P What would you do without them? GACK! You'd stop reviewing! T.T 

copykat1118: We'd all love to see that, wouldn't we? Say Hi to Shadowcat241 for me, and thanks for reviewing! 

Saria19: YAY!! Don't worry, Chapter 17's waiting in the wings! The more reviews I get, the faster it comes! n.n I love bribery.   
To reply to your Ohsukah Tournament review...yes! I updated! You'll see Toguro in a coupla chapters...you'll see Karasu in a couple of chapters...and if you think Yusuke's power can only be used in offense, well...we'll just have to fix that. n.n 

The Thief Kuronue: Cotton Candy! HOORAY!! grabs cotton candy and stuffs it in mouth Mmmm...I haven't had any of this stuff in years...thanks a bunch! 

What2callmyself: Ack! The questions! Okay, let's try to answer them...in order: You'll see, you'll see, you'll see, this chapter and next, you'll see, yes, ...haven't figured that out yet, and that's all the questions! n.n Sorry... I don't want to spoil it for you. ...((hides from sea otters)) I thought they were supposed to be CUTE, not evil! T.T 

Averon: Jin? Grow up? But what would we write with!? n.n I'm happy you like it so...it's fun to see how people like it! I like writing...AU fics seem to be my specialty (I actually have two more AU ideas waiting in my head...I'm trying to see how they'll turn out before I do anything public with them). Beware, this story's about to get sad...((pulls out tissue box)) Next time, on YuYuHakusho! ((cheesy wink)) 

Hedi Dracona: YAYNESS! You reviewed! ((glomps back)) 

Elyndewen Startree: We're lazy people, aren't we all. Go see our bio for the new competition! Ends tomorrow, dunno if you'll be home by then...(I'll accept submissions late!)... 

TJ: n.n Arashi helped me with it. 

I don't care: O.O ...that's...why we update? 

Raven: n.n I did! And I will again! Have no fear, Evil Towel is here! ((superhero music plays in background)) 

LilxAznxDragonz: n.n I will! Keep up with the reviews! 

aqua-flames: n.n I do too. I wrote a whole 'nother chappie yesterday, but that was because I was procrastinating on my German homework. Yes, you may use that phrase as many times as you like! n.n I don't mind at all. 

Sycogerl64: Yes! FAMOUS!! Sorry, I forgot to tell you how you did on the June Writer/Reader Reversal...second place! YAAAAAAY!! Ah, we love you...((hugs)) We love Jin and Touya, too! ((hugs them)) n.n 

Anica106: Yeah, can be...odd, sometimes. Oh, yes, it does have a _lot_ to do with his mistake...nyeh heh heh...sorry, I can't answer all your questions because that would spoil it for you! (translation--I don't even know yet! XD) Thanks for asking, though...it forces me to think about them and then to write about them, which means you get more updates! 

Ditto-chan: Good luck! 

The Legendary Beckster: I hate it when people don't update...oh, but don't worry! This story won't be ending for a long time! I'm on a roll with Touya/Jin...the next chapter's on them, too. 

Seth: n.n 

Yarrie: I will! You'll review, won't you? ((puppy dog face)) Pwease? 

**_WOW! 26 reviews on this one chapter alone--and 240 altogether! I LOVE YOU PEOPLE! ((hugs)) _****_Oh, I did some figuring the other day...turns out that maybe we're about halfway through the story, which means we're going to have OVER 30 CHAPTERS!! YAAAAAAAY!! The exact number's unknown, but hey! That's plenty of time to reach 1000 reviews, don't you think? n.n _**


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Whisper

**n.n Well, folks, welcome to the longest chapter I've ever written! Topping the charts at a full nine pages (wow, nine whole pages)--yay!! **

**Due to an error with our inbox, the July Writer/Reader Reversal winners have yet to be announced! As a consequence, there will be no August Writer/Reader Reversal...I repeat, NO AUGUST WRITER/READER REVERSAL. The competition will be opened again in September, so tell all your friends! Spread the word so we can have more than three people submit stuff! (Honestly, it's no fun if it's the same three people every single time!) **

**n.n I'm thinking about posting this story on other places, too...mediaminer and maze-castle, to be specific. What do you guys think? Should I, or should I not? **

**Review Responses up here this time: **

The Thief Kuronue: THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!! Some of those I've heard of, but some of those I hadn't! Thanks again--I still have a lot to read. n.n If I need more, I'll  
be sure to let you know, okay? n.n Thanks for the cookies! ((hands half-eaten box over)) Saved you some!

Dragonflyr: You're right--maybe Touya's over-reacting a little bit, but can you really blame him? (It's so much fun to torture the characters...that's all we do as authors! XD) Everybody loves to hate Karasu--you're completely right! Sorry the contest results are taking so long--_that_ is completely my fault..I deleted one of the contestant's entries and had to get them all back. n.n;; Not yours, don't worry!

Koritsune Dragonrider: Buckle your seatbelts, it's about to get sadder. ((passes around tissues))

Dragon of Dreams: I'm glad you like it so! ;) I'd give you the n.n smiley, but Quickedit won't let me so you have to do with this. ;) Stupid Quickedit.

Saria19: XD It would, you're right. That's what training with Genkai's for!! ...and if all else fails, we'll find some way to give him a power boost. Happens every other episode, right?...okay, that's an exaggeration, but still! You have to admit, it happens a lot.

Rose16: ...riiight. ((edges away)) Um...nice Rose16, don't scare the author...it's not nice...um...((keeps edging))

What2callmyself: n.n They're cute, I'll give you that. Pats for everyone!!((patpatpat)) Behold the answers to your questions! In order: You'll see, you'll see, you'll see, definitely yes, XD Hooray for friends!, and I sure hope Toguro and co. get what they deserve--they're very nasty people, that they are. n.n Any more questions?

aqua-flames: I'm sorry...I don't try to depress people, it just seems to happen! T.T

bakurakrazie: YAY!! (Diequickedit) KITTY!! n.n I wuv kitties! ((huggles kitty))

Anica106: We'll find out, don't worry. Shall I add your name to the list of people waiting to kill Karasu? It's pretty lengthy as it is. n.n I'm all better now; don't worry about me!

PHYCOYUSKEFREAK: Toguro'll be back. We haven't seen the last of him! Oh, and don't kill me with the penguins...you won't get another update. XD Thanks for reviewing!

koriaena: Okay, no hug! ((pulls away)) Sowwy. n.n;;

flamin: n.n Thanks for reviewing! I will definitely keep going; the end is nowhere in sight...nyahaha...

Ditto-chan: huggles plushie YAAAAAAAAY!!! PLUSHIE!!! Thanks for reviewing--we love the reviewers! huggle

Drifter008: Okay! n.n If you say so!

Hedi Dracona: O.O DEWM? Sounds bad. I'd better update. ((updates))

I don't care: n.n Hooray! Thanks for helping us get along! Can't wait to get more chapters up myself! n....n

tachinu: n.n Thanks! I try really hard to make it believable--it's always great to hear if I'm succeeding or not! n.n Hooray for randomness!!

Sycogerl64: Hooray for your fic! n.n Have I told you how much I love it? NOOO! DON'T DIE!!! YOU CAN'T DIE!!! Um...I'll get Touya to give you CPR!! HEY, TOUYA!! GO GIVE THE WONDERFUL AUTHOR SOME CPR SO SHE'LL COME BACK TO LIFE AND UPDATE HER STORY!!!! n.n

Elyndewen Startree: n.n Hooray for procrastination! Ouch...you really don't like Karasu, do you? n.n Nobody does!

**Okay, this is my first attempt with a songfic/chapter thing...please let me know what you think of it! Good? Bad? Confusing? Should I do more? Would you _want_ to see more? Or should I never attempt this again? **

**Words like _::this::_ are song lyrics...I don't own the song, by the way. **

**Tissues for this chapter are available in the lobby.**

**Those who have ever heard of Evanescene are invited to turn on your CD players and share in the musical experience of... **

**Chapter Seventeen:  
Whisper **

_**War (wor) n. An armed conflict among states or nations; a state of discord; the science of military techniques or procedures. ** _

It's too bad Yusuke didn't have a dictionary with him (even if he did, he wouldn't be able to read it, so it doesn't really matter). 

"The Shinobi versus Toguro..." Genkai shook her head, "That was a war that made history--if word of it had gotten out." 

"You're crazy!" Yusuke didn't believe her. "Are you saying Toguro and the Shinobi managed to fight an entire war and nobody else knew about it?!" 

"Of course they knew." Yusuke jumped; he hadn't heard Hiei coming at all. "Most of the other plantations hated the Shinobi. Toguro wasn't stupid enough to go into battle against the Shinobi with his forces alone, so he hired reinforcements--the other plantations were more than willing to help." 

"When did you get here?" Botan asked Hiei. Hiei ignored her. 

"Touya said earlier the Shinobi plantation was half the size of Toguro's--but since every one of them could use Spirit Energy, even the barely trained was the equivalent of five slaves. Against them all, Toguro stood no chance. 

"Battle was inevitable at that point, and it wasn't long before four out of our seven were heading off to war. None of us wanted to go--but they forced us to." 

_...spitting out the tooth, Hiei was up again before they could blink; a whirling mass of fists, feet, and blade. _

He would go fighting, if he went at all. 

**::Catch me as I fall  
Say you're here and it's all over now:: **

Kurama had already fallen--a heavy blow from the arm of Bui had sent the ten-year-old slamming into the floor, unconscious and bleeding. His fight was lost the moment Karasu and Bui teamed up on him. 

**::Speaking to the atmosphere  
No one's here and I fall into myself:: **

A bomb exploded just in front of Hiei's face, light shining through the bandana and blinding his Jagan. His katana clattered to the floor as he cursed in pain, and barely a second passed before something fastened around his neck... 

"We met Chu that day. He'd been bred for fighting since he was small, and Toguro had bought him from another plantation just for that purpose; using his powers with us to destroy the Shinobi opposition. Chu specifically told me that he was not looking forward to it--he didn't like to kill those who had done him no wrong. 

**_::This truth drives me into madness::_ **

"He hadn't even been with us one day before he added he intended to use his powers to kill Toguro and all the overseers--even if he died in the process. 

"He never even got the chance." 

_**::I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away:: ** _

They sat in the giant cage on wheels, glaring out at the overseers who stood on the other side of the bars. 

"The collars react to the cage," Toguro was explaining, "When you're inside, nothing happens--if you don't count the restriction on your Spirit Energy, but you should be used to that. When you're outside--well." He glanced to the side. Instinctively their eyes followed his to see the chained figure held by two of Toguro's men. Touya's eyes widened in recognition. 

"Mujari!" 

**::Don't turn away:: **

"This spy was captured within our ranks earlier today," Toguro said, "His only other purpose, other than an incompetent spy, is to help with today's demonstration." 

**::Don't give into the pain:: **

"Don't you hurt him!" Touya screamed, moving as far towards Toguro as the chain connected to his collar would allow. 

"Have no fear; I won't even touch him," Toguro promised, a wicked grin creeping onto his face, as Karasu moved forwards at an unspoken signal. "Watch and learn." In movements too swift for anyone to react to, Karasu had unfastened Kurama's chain from the cage, opened the door, pulled him out, slammed the door shut, and let go. 

That was when it happened. 

The four remaining in the cage watched in horror as Kurama pivoted to stare at Mujari. A snarl escaped his lips as he pulled out a rose. 

**::Don't try to hide:: **

"NO, KURAMA--!" 

**::Though they're screaming your name:: **

"ROSE WHIP!" 

**::Don't close your eyes:: **

And as blood gushed from Mujari's neck, as his severed head fell to join his body on the ground, Kurama turned towards those still in the cage, an expression of pure hatred on his face and no life in his eyes. 

**::God knows what lies behind them:: **

His eyes were completely black, as if someone had removed all the green and left only the pupil--as if someone had removed all that was Kurama and left only a hollow shell... 

**::Don't turn out the light  
Never sleep, never die::**

"The collars and the bracelets we still wear today were directly linked to the cage on wheels that we lived in while we were at war. Inside that cage, the bracelets served their usual purpose of restricting our powers, while the collar only served as something to connect the chain that kept us imprisoned to. The cage kept the collar from being activated, but once we were outside it was an entirely different story. 

"The collar overpowered the bracelet, allowing us full access to our energy, but at the same time it took over our bodies, filling our minds with one desire: _kill_." 

"Not everybody," Botan hastened to reassure the horror-stricken Yusuke, "The collars drove the wearers to kill all that possessed the oneness with Spirit and body--" 

"Which is basically everybody who can use their Spirit Energy," Genkai finished. Yusuke was quiet for a moment as he took this in. It wasn't long before he encountered a problem. 

"But you could all use Spirit Energy-" 

"The collars were repelled to one another," Hiei explained, "Like magnets with the same polarity, if you need an example. We weren't driven to kill those wearing the collars." Ah. That made sense. 

"So that would automatically lead you to the Shinobi," Yusuke murmured, thinking out loud, "What about Toguro? And Karasu? I'll bet they weren't wearing collars..." 

"They made sure to stay well away from us once we were set loose," Genkai said. "Those were rough nights--every morning, we lost control of ourselves and our actions, but every night we remembered everything we'd done. Touya and Kurama took it the hardest." 

"Why?" Yusuke had a feeling this was something he was supposed to know, and when Hiei gave him a "Isn't it obvious?" look, he was sure of it. 

"Kurama was only _ten_," Hiei explained, as if he was talking to a three-year-old who didn't know his place, "Do you expect a ten year old child to murder dozens of people every day and not react to it? As for Touya--I don't think I need to explain to you that he'd grown up with most of the people he was fighting; he was killing his _friends_." 

_...flickering gently on and off, on and off. Hiei watched the little firefly flying around their cage, searching for a way out. The black tarp that normally was rolled up on the side of the wagon had been pulled over their cage, hanging over the bars and completely hiding the outside world from them. There was no escape. _

**::I'm frightened by what I see:: **

Kurama had cried himself to sleep again, the horror of the day's events added on to the massacres of the previous ones. There was no escape from it--tomorrow would be the same. How much longer could he take the deaths he'd caused? Hiei didn't know, but he knew it wouldn't be long before Kurama lost it entirely. 

**::But somehow I know that there's much more to come:: **

To the unobservant eye, Touya was asleep--he wasn't moving, at any rate. But Hiei knew he was awake and staring into the darkness, remembering the faces of all he'd killed...remembering the friends that he'd murdered. 

**::Immobilized by my fear  
And soon to be blinded by tears:: **

"There's nothing to do but sleep," Genkai had said, when she was trying to comfort Kurama after the first day, "Try to forget what happened...there's nothing you can do..." Her words came back to Hiei as he stared into the darkness. 

A whimper from Kurama caused Hiei to look in that direction. 

"No," Kurama whispered, lost in his world of nightmares, "Make it go away...please, make it all just go away..." 

**::I can stop the pain if I will it all away:: **

"I want to go home..." 

Hiei didn't have the heart to wake him. 

**::If I will it all away:: **

At this point, even a nightmare was better than reality. 

"For weeks we lived like that--fighting during the day, locked in the cage during the night, with no news of how anything was going--nothing but numbers. The numbers of everybody and everything who had died...and all we got to hear were the numbers of Shinobi dead. 

**_::Don't turn away  
Don't give into the pain::_ **

"I'll admit, we got better food than most of the other soldiers did--but only at night, when the fighting was done. And we didn't get a cot to sleep on, or even a blanket. We just had the cold floor of the cage and, eventually, the darkness of the tarp. 

"We didn't always have the tarp--that came after the Shinobi had attacked us in the middle of the night. It was the first and last time that they did so." 

_...battle cries filled the night, and everyone who had been asleep was jolted awake. _

"What the heck is going on out there?" Chu asked, peering out into the darkness. 

"I think we're being attacked!" Touya cried, "Those are Shinobi battle cries!" 

"Really?" Kurama sat up. "Could they free us?" The only light was from the stars and the moon, so it was hard to see anything other than black, moving shapes. But there were enough of them to tell that a battle was being fought, and it was a vicious one. 

An arrow whistled through the bars, catching harmlessly in Hiei's hair. With a growl, he pulled it out and hurled it back in the general direction it had come from. 

**::Don't try to hide:: **

There was nothing they could do; nowhere they could go. Their wagon was directly in the center of the camp, and was normally pulled by a team of slaves--all of which were huddled under the wagon in terror. Hiei would have cursed their cowardice, but if they hadn't Toguro would most certainly insist they be dragging the wagon to a new location away from the battle. 

"Psst!" said a voice, "Touya!" 

**::Though they're screaming your name:: **

"Who's there?" Genkai asked, trying to see. A figure popped up from underneath the wagon; he was grinning from ear to ear, but they couldn't see that in the dark. 

"Hello," he said cheerfully, "Is Touya in there?" 

"Do I...know you?" Touya asked, coming closer to the bars to peer at this new person. 

"Probably not," he said, "My name's Jin--" 

"Hold on a second!" Yusuke interrupted, and turned to Jin, "You--?" 

"Me!" Jin responded happily, "Wasn't 'sposed to be near them, actually, but I saw an opportunity and I went for it! Now hush up and let Shorty continue with the story." 

_"What on earth are you doing here?" Touya whispered harshly (nobody knew why they were whispering; it's not like anybody could hear them over the racket the battle was making). _

"The whole reason we're doing this is so one of us can talk to you," Jin said back, his voice just loud enough so they could hear him, "Now I never thought I'd be saying this, but listen carefully--" 

**::Don't close your eyes  
God knows what lies behind them:: **

"--In a couple of days we're going to be launching an enormous attack on Toguro and his troops. It's going to have everything we've got in it, so we need you to--" 

"We can't," Kurama interrupted, "The collars--" An arrow whistled through the air and into Jin's shoulder; he swore and spun around. 

"Well, that's not very nice!" he exclaimed loudly. 

"On your right!" Genkai yelled, and Jin leapt to the left just as three more arrows zipped through the space where he'd been standing a moment before. He turned to her and gave her a quick salute. 

"Many thanks to you; now if you don't mind I think I'd better get out of here!" 

"WAIT!" Touya cried, reaching a hand out to Jin as if to hold him there, "You never told us--" 

"No time for that!" Jin responded, "Just a couple of days more!" With that he took to the air and sped off. 

"No," Touya whispered, his hand dropping, "We can't do anything..." 

Something rattled. 

"What was that?" Genkai asked, her head whipping around towards the sound. There was nobody there-- 

"Up!" Chu shouted, and they all looked sharply up to see Karasu balanced on top of the cage, something long and black in his hands. 

"Can't have you fraternizing with the Shinobi," he tsked, "It's not good for their health." With that, he leapt off the cage and dropped whatever he was holding. Blackness dropped over them all; Kurama screamed. 

**::Don't turn out the light:: **

Hiei cursed the restraints that wouldn't allow him to use his Jagan--the blackness was too overpowering, he couldn't see a thing. 

"It's okay, it's just a tarp," Touya said, feeling the fabric that overlapped the bars. 

"Why the bloody hell would they put a tarp over us?" Chu asked, "Do they think we're some kind of bloody bird that goes to sleep when you chuck a blanket at its head?" 

**::Never sleep:: **

"Kurama, are you all right?" Hiei asked, squinting to try to see something, anything, in the darkness. 

**::Never die:: **

"It's so dark..." 

"That was how we found out Kurama was scared of the dark," Genkai explained, and laughed a little bit. 

"Kurama?!" Yusuke didn't believe it. "He was scared of the dark?" 

"Can you blame a ten-year-old?" Genkai asked, and Yusuke shook his head (he couldn't really talk--he'd been scared of the dark _and_ the clowns under his bed until he was twelve). Genkai continued with the narration. 

"From then on they kept the tarp on us at all times--day or night. Kurama was scared to tears, but Chu managed to cheer him up a couple times...that man had one of the most optimistic spirits I've ever seen. I think he helped Kurama over the fear of darkness. 

"Karasu had heard Jin's last words to us, so Toguro moved camp to a place where we would have a better defensive position. If what Jin had said was true, this was to be the last battle." 

"And was it a battle!" Jin cut in, "You should've seen it! All of Toguro's forces were fighting what Shinobi there were left, and we didn't give 'em an inch. There was blood flying _everywhere_, even the occasional body part--" 

"Jin, do we really need to hear this?" Hiei demanded. Jin shrugged. 

"I guess not. Anyway, I was in it too--this time, I was actually _supposed_ to be getting close to Touya. And let me tell you right now, that was not easy." 

"But the collar--" Yusuke started. 

"Jin was the only one besides Toguro and his minions to figure it out," Genkai said, and Jin beamed, "He figured out how to cancel the collar's effect on us." 

_...he skidded around two people whose swords of steel and earth had connected in a fierce clash, and raced onwards. _

**::Fallen angels at my feet:: **

Bodies lay everywhere--behind him, in front of him, next to him. People he knew, and people he didn't know. Jin didn't have time to waste mourning for any of them--he had to get to Touya. 

**::Whispered voices at my ear:: **

There--on that small hill--a circle of blue that was probably below zero in temperature. That was where Touya must be. 

Shinobi were trying--and failing--to reach him, to cure him of the madness that had struck him. None even got past his shield. 

Except for Jin. 

Wrapping a barrier of warm air around himself, he raced bravely into the circle and seized Touya's arm. 

"TOUYA!" he yelled, as Touya's black eyes turned towards him. 

**::Death before my eyes:: **

"SNAP OUT OF IT, TOUYA! YOU'RE KILLING THE WRONG PEOPLE!" Touya didn't hear him. A sword of ice materialized in his hand and he would have run Jin through had the Wind Master not pulled back in time. 

"LISTEN TO ME, TOUYA!" Touya flung him off his arm and away. Jin leapt to his feet and reached out for him. "YOU'VE GOT TO STOP DOING THIS!" Touya's sword disappeared, and multiple shards of ice appeared in his hand. 

"Shards of Winter!" The shards shot directly at Jin, and he didn't have enough time to put up a shield of his own. They connected, drawing blood as they slammed into him to bury in his body. 

"TOUYA!" Jin grabbed a hold of his arm again, and frost started to grow on his fingers, "SNAP OUT OF IT!" A couple more shards tore through him. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING--DAMMIT, TOUYA, LISTEN TO ME!" In desperation, he seized the chain that was attached to Touya's collar... 

And suddenly, Touya stopped. 

His eyes returned to their normal icy-blue, and he blinked once, twice before turning to look at Jin. 

"Jin--what did you do?" Jin blinked. 

"I--I don't know." Touya glanced around slowly, blinking again as he saw all the blood and dead bodies that lay around him. 

**::Lying next to me I fear:: **

"What have I done?" He glanced back to Jin, and seemed for the first time to really see him. "What have I done to you?" 

"The chain?" Yusuke asked, dumbfounded, "What the heck does the chain have to do with anything?" 

"It cancelled out the collar," Genkai explained, "That's how they were able to get us in and out of the cage every day--if somebody with Spirit Energy grabbed hold of the chain, then it was as if the collar wasn't even there." 

"I get it," Yusuke murmured, "So Touya was free--then what happened?" 

"We got the others," Jin explained, leaning back and hooking his hands behind his head, "And dragged them over to our side. One of the other Shinobi figured out how to break the collars and bracelets off of them...so they did. For a while there, it seemed as if we would win--since Toguro had lost most of his Spirit Fighters, what could he do to us?" 

"Toguro and his brother hadn't fought at all during the battles," Genkai added, "Karasu and Bui did, but the Toguros just watched. People tried to get to them, to kill them, but Karasu and Bui were more than competent bodyguards--nobody ever made it past them." 

"We thought we stood a pretty good chance," Jin continued, "It was obvious they weren't expecting an attack using our powers, so we came up with a plan. All we needed to do was get to them and distract them long enough for Hiei to do his bit--" Hiei glanced up. "--and we'd be free. 

"That was the plan, anyway." 

_...plants, ice, wind, and spiritual power--all combined in a deadly attack against Karasu and Bui. The Toguros watched on, the Elder obviously enraged at how they'd managed to get free and turn against them. But there was no time for that. _

"IT'S ALL YOU, HIEI!" 

**::She beckons me:: **

Here goes nothing... 

**::Shall I give in?:: **

**"**DRAGON--" Kurama hastily pulled his plants back; there was no way they'd be able to survive this "--OF--" Chu and Jin leapt out of the way, dragging Touya with them "--THE DARKNESS FLAME!" The black dragon shot from his fist into the air, curling around to slam directly into Bui, propelling him in turn into Karasu and the Toguros. 

"YES!" "IT'S OVER NOW!" 

And then the unthinkable happened. 

**::Upon my end  
Shall I begin:: **

The Dragon was pushed away. 

"WHAT?" Red eyes widened in surprise as Hiei watched the Dragon change its course, creating a path of destruction off to the side inside of dead ahead. He turned back, and cursed. 

Bui had repelled the Dragon. 

Their last hope was gone. 

**::Forsaking all I've fallen for  
I rise to meet the end::**

"The Dragon of the Darkness Flame is Hiei's strongest attack. It literally has the power to pull you so far into oblivion that not even your soul can escape. The fact that Hiei could do the technique said a lot about his level of skill--the fact that Bui could repel it said more." 

"So what happened?" Yusuke asked. There was a long moment of silence in which nobody spoke. Nobody noticed that Touya had re-entered the room until he spoke. 

"We lost." 

_...and all hell broke loose. _

With his aura alone, the younger Toguro ripped the bodies of the Shinobi into pieces, while his brother watched. Watched and laughed. 

**::Don't turn away:: **

Bui had pulled up a protection shield, to save them all from such a deadly fate. Inside that small bubble of calm, another battle was coming to a close. 

**::Don't give in to the pain:: **

Chu lay on the ground, his leg crushed at an odd angle from the rest of his body. Genkai had collapsed next to him, blood pooling from an long, deep wound on her chest. Hiei's arm was immobile; the rest of him was unhurt as he had fainted from energy loss. 

**::Don't try to hide:: **

Kurama dangled in the air, legs kicking feebly as Karasu's hands tightened around his throat. Jin refused to go down, despite the fact that one of his arms was badly broken and Karasu's bombs had torn the other open. It was only when Bui hit him over the head with his fist that he fell. 

**::Though they're screaming your name:: **

Touya's ankle was sprained, at the very least, and the hole through his midsection wasn't helping much. Still he refused to give up--though this was surely the end. 

**::Don't close your eyes:: **

Kurama gave one last kick and fell still; Karasu let go, allowing him to fall to the ground with a sickening crunch. Toguro's aura had long since faded... 

**::God knows what lies behind them:: **

...because there were no more Shinobi left to resist him. 

**::Don't turn out the lights:: **

The war was finally over. 

**::Never sleep:: **

The Shinobi had lost. 

**::Never die:: **

Everything. 


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Capture the Flag

Terribly sorry for the delay…blah blah blah…nobody really reads these things, do they? Well, if you do, here's an **IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING _ANYTHING_ WILL NOW BE POSTED IN OUR BIO. THIS INCLUDES THE WRITER/READER REVERSAL. **Got that? Stuff's pretty easy to find, announcements are under "announcements", writer/reader under "Writer/Reader Reversal." The info for the Sept./Oct. Halloween Special! is there as well (as well as two new fics I posted a couple days ago). Let's get writing!

On a happier note, I'd like to congratulate Dragonflyr for being the winner of the…um…I think it was July...Writer/Reader Reversal!!

Dragonflyr—n.n Hooray! I can't believe I really won!

n.n Her story, "Need a Hug", can be found by…asking her! Or us! Or anybody! (except not really)

Dragonflyr—My turn for announcements! Where's my list?

In our bio!!

Dragonflyr---...that's not fair... 

**Chapter Eighteen:  
****Capture The Flag**

The mood for the rest of the morning was a quiet and reflective one—nobody seemed to feel like talking. Jin and Touya disappeared soon after breakfast; Genkai left to go to the Training room. Jorge and Koenma filed in after everyone but Botan was leaving (Botan had clean-up duty); Yukina passed them in the hall. Hiei parted ways with Yusuke to head upstairs (presumably to his room); Yusuke himself headed down to Kurama's. So they were all pretty much left to their own devices; nobody bothered to go outside. And since nobody went outside, of course they wouldn't have seen the lone figure slinking onto the plantation—and since they were inside the House, they didn't sense the sudden increase of Spiritual Energy as somebody stepped onto the plantation. And, considering all that, it's highly unlikely that they saw that same figure head up the stairs into the Big House...

..::--::..

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Yusuke subconsciously found himself breathing at the same rate as Kurama was—in, out, in, out—the red haired slave was still fast asleep, and so still that if it wasn't for the steady rise and fall of his chest, Yusuke would have thought he was dead.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

As it was, he could hardly tell that Karasu had done anything at all, because from Kurama's current position there were no visible bandages. Yusuke knew there had to be some, but there were none anywhere on his head or face. How very odd...

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

_When will he wake up?_ Yusuke wondered absently. _He's been out of it for over a day now...honestly, if this keeps up, his room'll wilt. _Laughing inwardly at his own joke, Yusuke glanced around the room, expecting to see some of the flowers already dead.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

One or two—maybe a couple roses. That's all he expected to have died.

Not everything.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

What was wrong? Was Kurama somehow unable to control his energy when he was unconscious? Is that what happened? Is that why all the plants were dead?

But they'd looked so healthy a couple days ago...

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe—

"There you are." Yusuke turned his head to see Yukina standing in the doorway, "I'm so glad I found you."

"Hi," Yusuke said, getting to his feet politely, "You did a good job with Kurama." She blushed modestly and bowed quickly.

"Thank you. It's my job—I'm more than happy to help Kurama in any way I can."

"So what's up?"

"Master Genkai wants us all to meet in the Training room..."

"Oh, _great_!" Yusuke interrupted, throwing his arms up, "More torture with the old hag!"

"Don't be silly," Yukina said, as they left the room, "Master Genkai is not a tyrant—she only wants us to learn how to use our powers to their full potential."

"So we can do more happy jobs for Toguro. Great; I'm all for it." Yukina laughed quietly, but didn't say anything more.

..::--::..

They sat in a rough semi-circle; Jin and Touya, Yusuke, Botan and Yukina, and Hiei. Six of them—

—and Genkai.

"Now, I understand we've had a very rough morning," Genkai was saying, glancing at Touya as she spoke, "So it's time to get our minds off of it and onto something else. Today's lesson is on teamwork—and we're going to be playing a game.

There are two flags hidden somewhere in the house. It is the Red Team's objective to find the Red Flag, and likewise with the Blue Team and the Blue Flag. First team to find their flag and get it back to me wins the game."

"Sounds simple," Yusuke commented to Botan.

"The only rules are that you may not go outside, and you may not break or destroy _anything_. Lamps, desks, chairs, tables, _whatever_, if it's not a member of the other team _don't touch it_."

"No rules?" Jin said, ears twitching (were they always that pointed?). Even Hiei looked interested.

Genkai nodded. "Other than that. Now, I'm going to break you up into teams—remember who's on your team, for there aren't any markers to distinguish you apart."

Yusuke found himself on the Blue Team, along with Jin and Touya (the Red Team was, obviously, Hiei, Yukina, and Botan). Jin was grinning widely and looked as if he was already concocting ideas somewhere in his mind.

"You get one piece of information. Use it well." With that, she handed pieces of paper to Hiei and Jin, who looked at it as their team members crowded around.

_The Red Flag is located in the kitchen._

"What the--?" Yusuke didn't get it. They weren't the Red Team—why should they know where the Red Flag was?

Even as he was confused, Jin shredded the pieces and blew them out the window with a little help from his wind. The note in Hiei's hand burst into flames, the ashes falling onto the floor to be crushed under his foot. Yusuke started to ask why they'd done that, but Genkai interrupted him.

"Teams ready? Then BEGIN!" Jin promptly grabbed Touya and Yusuke and dragged them out of the room, pulling them down the hallway and into what looked like a broom closet.

"What the heck is going on?!" Yusuke demanded, "What kind of training is this?"

"It's called Capture the Flag," Touya explained, "Genkai already explained all the rules, but the basis of the game is to encourage teamwork, which means we have to work together to win this."

"Right," Jin agreed, floating in the air again, "And we already know where the Red Flag is, so we can grab that and hide it in a different place, if need be."

"But isn't that cheating?"

"No rules."

"...oh, right..."

"So, here's what we do..." Touya said, lowering his voice and pulling them into a conspiratorial huddle.

..::--::..

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Yusuke asked, his grip tightening on the Red Flag.

"Of course it will!" Jin said, peering around the next corner, "We're working as a team—what could possibly go wrong?"

"Don't worry," Touya assured Yusuke, "Should any injuries occur, that's what Yukina's for."

"Does she mind?"

"Of course not!" Jin chipped in, "It allows her to get stronger in her abilities, after all." Yusuke would have asked more, but suddenly, who should come around the corner but the members of the Red Team! And they were carrying the Blue Flag!

"HEY!" Jin yelled, pointing at the Red Team, "THEY STOLE YOUR IDEA, TOUYA!"

"Who cares?!" Touya pushed him aside and a stream of ice shot across the floor, catching the Red Team unawares and rooting their feet to the ground.

"That's not fair!" Botan protested, her oar forming in her hands as she tried to chip away at the ice that was covering her feet, "H-HEY!" The Blue Flag was torn from her hands by a ferocious gust of wind, and she groped wildly after it as it was pulled back to Jin. "NOT FAIR!"

"YES!" he exclaimed, clutching the prized flag in his hands, "VICTORY!"

"Don't just stand there, MOVE!" Touya gave Yusuke a push, and together the triumphant trio pelted down the hallway just as Hiei managed to free his teammates.

"AFTER THEM!" Botan yelled, and a mad race ensued, the Blue Team in the lead, the Red Team not far behind—

—until Yusuke tripped.

"YUKINA!" Hiei roared, and ice flowed from Yukina's hands towards the fallen Yusuke, with the intent of freezing him in place long enough so they could snatch their flag from him. Yusuke curled up, clutching the flag tightly to his chest as he braced himself for the impact.

It never came.

He looked up to see Touya standing over him, hands outstretched, a solid wall of ceiling-to-floor ice blocking the hallway.

"Are you alright?" Jin had landed next to Yusuke, who was still staring dumb-founded at the wall. "Then come on!"

"But—Touya—"

"He can take care of himself, now COME ON!" Pulling Yusuke to his feet, Jin grabbed his arms and pelted down the hallway, the wind speeding their progress towards the Training Room.

There—the door was in sight—with a little help from Jin, the door was blown open, and they raced inside—

...to an empty room.

"Wha--?"

"Where's Genkai?!"

"Right here." They turned to see Genkai standing in the doorway behind them, "You didn't think I'd really stay in one place, did you?"

"Curse you, Genkai!" With a laugh, she was gone, and the race switched to "catch the Genkai!"

Through this hallway, into that room, around that room, back into the hallway, up the stairs, down the other set of stairs—it was madness. Genkai was _fast_; it was all they could do to keep her in sight. At this rate, they'd never catch her.

Something snagged against Yusuke's skin; he brought his hand up to brush at it absentmindedly.

A pair of hands grabbed his; a second grabbed the one holding the flag. Panicking, Yusuke whipped his head about to see Yukina and Botan holding him. The need to break free overpowered his other thoughts, and he jerked about wildly, screaming out Jin's name.

Jin turned just in time to see a bit of ice slide over Yusuke's hand; he screamed and pulled away from Yukina and Botan, clutching it desperately, as if to melt the ice that stung at it. The flag fell from his hand—

—only to be caught by Hiei, who promptly blurred and disappeared.

"HE'S GOT THE FLAG!" Yusuke yelled needlessly, pointing to where Hiei had last been. Yukina and Botan high-fived in triumph as Jin shot off again.

"Now we're even," Botan told Yusuke, sticking her tongue out, "We both have our flags; it's only a question of who gets to Genkai first. And Hiei's faster than Jin is, so this game is ours." Yusuke's frown deepened as he glared at the two laughing girls, unwillingly admitting to himself that they were right...

"You can laugh all you want," said Touya, "But speed isn't the only factor in this game."

"Touya!" Yusuke headed over to his teammate, quickly noting the thick layer of ice that covered the Ice Master's hands, as well as the dark marks underneath it, "What happened?"

"Hiei broke through my wall," came the response, "Now hurry—we should at least get to see how the game turns out." He headed quickly out the door; Yusuke and the girls followed him.

"Can you sense energy yet?" Touya asked Yusuke, as they ran through the halls.

"A little..."

"Good." Ice scraped against his skin as Touya pulled him into his room and slammed the door behind them, locking it firmly.

"Hey!" Botan protested, knocking ferociously, "That's not fair!"

"No rules!" Touya reminded her through the door, before lowering his voice to talk to Yusuke, "Follow me." Dumbfounded, Yusuke wandered through the snow and ice that coated Touya's room (odd—it didn't seem as cold as the last time he'd been in here) and watched as Touya wrenched open a door that he hadn't seen, covered as it was in patterned icicles...

...and saw a set of stairs leading down into the darkness.

"This house is full of secret passageways," Touya explained, "They go everywhere; all you have to do is find the entrances and exits. Jin has one that heads right down to the kitchen; I believe Jorge knows where one is that goes directly to his classroom."

"So where does this one go?" Touya only smiled and started down the stairs.

"Shut the door behind you."

It was dark in the stairwell; Yusuke felt his way along with help of the walls. Secret passageways—now there was a concept. Why, with these, you could practically never use the hallways! You could just cut from your room to, oh, say, somewhere in the basement!

Was there a basement in this house?

Maybe after this he'd have to do a little exploring...

"Here we are." A door opened; Yusuke blinked at the unexpected light. He stepped out into the room. A blur of black shot past, and he rubbed his eyes to try to bring them back into focus.

"What luck," Touya muttered sarcastically, and Yusuke saw why.

They'd come out in a room he'd never been in before, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that they weren't the only people in the room. Jin, Hiei, and Genkai were there as well.

Genkai stood in the center of the room while Hiei and Jin seemed to be locked in a stalemate. Hiei stood like a statue in one place, and Yusuke's energy-sensing ability (he was getting better at it—perhaps Training was good for something after all!) could sense the bonds of wind holding him there. However, Hiei had pulled up a wall of fire around Genkai, which was stopping Jin from reaching her as well.

The main door flew open as Yukina and Botan raced in; Touya took action and froze it shut behind them. They, too, paused for a minute to take in the situation ahead of them.

"Well, this is a problem," Botan mused, unsure of what else to say.

"You dimwits," Genkai said, unfazed by the fiery wall that surrounded her, "What was the purpose of this lesson?"

"Teamwork," Yukina responded promptly, "But how—" She broke off as ideas started running through her head, but Yusuke's ideas formed first.

"Hey, Touya." He whispered something into Touya's ear; Touya listened intently before nodding.

"I think that'll work."

"What will work?" Botan couldn't resist asking. "What are you guys plan—HEY!" For the second time that day, ice had snuck up unawares on the two girls and fastened them to the floor again. "You dirty unoriginal CHEATERS!"

"There's no cheating in war, Botan," Touya said sternly, "You should know that by now."

"What are you doing?" Jin asked, confused, "You can't even fill your own teammate in on your plan?!"

"Oh, be quiet," Genkai told him.

Nobody except Touya expected what came next.

"SPIRIT GUN!"

A blue orb exploded from Yusuke's outstretched finger, shooting across the room towards its target. It connected, and the Red Flag fell in smoldering pieces from Hiei's hand.

"What the--?"

"That's not fair!"

"Why'd you do that?!" Genkai smirked.

"Excellent. Lesson ended." The wall of fire disappeared; Hiei found himself able to move again. The ice holding Botan and Yukina captive melted; Jin landed on the ground next to the remains of the Red Flag.

"But why?" Botan asked, "Why destroy our flag?"

"It's simple," Genkai explained, "The objective of the game was to get your flag to me first. By destroying your flag, Yusuke effectively made sure that you could not do that, and so his team would win by default." She turned to him. "Very good, dimwit. I guess you do have a brain buried somewhere in there after all."

"So did we win?" Jin asked, ears twitching in anticipation of the answer. Genkai nodded. "YES!"

"Congratulations." She turned to the losing team. "Your teamwork was good, as well. The way you teamed up on Yusuke when he was alone to get your flag was excellent."

"Hey!" Yusuke protested, "They wouldn't have done that if—" He froze. "If Jin hadn't been off by himself..."

"Exactly." Genkai folded her arms over her chest and closed her eyes. "Normally, in teamwork the only time you should separate is if it's for the greater good of the team—for example, when Touya created the wall so Yusuke and Jin could escape with the flags."

"Oh, Touya!" Yukina crossed the room to take Touya's hands in hers, "I forgot all about your burns—here, let me heal them for you."

"Altogether," Genkai continued, "You did a pretty good job. Good work, everyone; we'll meet back here tomorrow, to—"

"Genkai!" The door to the Training Room slammed open, revealing Jorge the blue ogre, "We've got a problem!"

"What is it now?" Genkai sighed, "Did Koenma trap himself under his bookshelf again?"

"No, it's worse!" Jorge was clearly in a panic. "This just arrived—it's from—" Genkai snatched the note from his trembling hand.

_Jin, Hiei, Botan, and Yusuke are to report to the Big House immediately._

"Immediately!?" Botan exclaimed, having read over Genkai's shoulder (along with everybody else), "And why only us?!"

"That's all of us who went after Kurama," Hiei said, staring at the note, "That means—"

"Yeah," Yusuke added, eyes going blank as it hit him, "Karasu's back."

..::--::..

**Review Responses!**

Koritsune Dragonrider: Toguro is a sick, sick person....much fun to write, though. Sorry the chocolate didn't really help...I'll try harder next time!

The Thief Kuronue: n.n I read too much, too. Lately I'm on a Yusuke/Kurama craze...know any good ones? I'm still looking for a Yusuke/Kurama/Karasu...

The Legendary Beckster: Hmm...what was so annoying about it? Could it have been the lines seperating it from the rest of the text? (I had a happier line but Quickedit killed it). I have another songfic up, without lines...would you see if it makes a difference and tell me, please?

Elyndewen Startree: I most definitely shall (however delayed they are)--you /sure/ you don't want previews?

Anica106: I'm happy to say the song originally wasn't part of my planning--I was listening to Evanescence as I wrote and thought, _Hey! This kind of sort of works! _That was around halfway through the chapter, so I just...fiddled with the rest. n.n I guess it turned out alright! Hmm...what next, they wonder? n.n Lots more angsty-goodness (basically everybody else's pasts, or so I hope) on the way!

Dragonflyr: Yeah, I read that...never reviewed because I'm not a particular fan of Mary-Sues...or OCs...n.n Whatever. n.n Sorry. Congrats on winning, btw...are you going to enter again? (PLEASE say yes!)

LoUdMoUtH87: Haven't heard from you before--you must be a "new" reader! Glad you stuck with us all the way--hold on tight, the ride's only getting bumpier from here!

HieilovesBotan: n.n Thank you!

koriaena: Chu...chu...um...Toguro sold him? Yeah! He sold him! n.n He did, though...but where to, when, and why is a secret! ((wink))

Saria19: Sure can. Yeah, Yusuke is really good as a demolition truck...that's all he really does in the show, right?

Rose16: AAAAAH!!! NOT THE KILLER RABBITS!!! ((runs from killer rabbits)) Why must you people be so _mean_ to me?

Tsuiraku Tanrei: Here. ((hands over tissue box)) As you probably noticed, the timing with the paragraphs and lyrics might have been a _tense_ off, but...can't you just see it as a music video? I can...but then again, that could just be the authorly-bit kicking in.

Wild Roses: n.n And there it is! ((points upwards))

bittersweet-memory: n.n And you rock for reviewing!! I'm so glad you think they're all IC...if I beat myself up over _anything_, it's that. Nobody likes OOC characters, unless it's a parody (and there's a limit on that). Thank you for your long review(s)...I really love it when people take time to tell me their thoughts in more than six-letter-words (u-p-d-a-t-e). There isn't romance because I've never really _tried_ writing romance...sure, you could take the relationship between Touya and Jin as yaoi, if you wish, but that's optional...do you think there should be romance in here? If so, with who?

Thanks again for reviewing! (It really really touched me...just to hear a long-winded compliment like that. I don't want to sound like I'm boasting, but it really is nice to get something like that. Thank you. Do you write stuff? Can I read it and give you an uber-long-extra special review?)

jagan: If you think that was bad, just wait until you see the others' pasts...

cc: During the battle, I think Hiei would be a grown-up. I'm not too sure on his age, because they didn't clearly say anything during the show, but he's definitely older than Kurama. In fact, he was the...third person to become a Freedom Slave, I think? Lemme check my scribblings...

tensi-notia: n.n Hopefully you've finished past Chapter Eight by now...but you have, because you're reading this! Silly me!

Drifter008: n.n Thank you!

Seeky L. H. Wolf: Confusing? What can I explain? And about your brother...I AM SO SO SORRY!!! It's really hard to tell gender on the Internet...I'm really really sorry about that! I promise I'll try really hard not to do it again! n.n;; Thanks for pointing that out...how embarrassing...

..::And a special thank-you to all my reviewers and readers! Thank you for sticking with me and making this fic such a success!

--Niyali::..


	20. Chapter 19: Someday We Will Be Free

Heeello, readers! For those of you with me on your author alerts, **this is the SECOND of FOUR updates today, so you should have gotten FOUR emails**. Did you? Good.

I'd like to thank Saria19 for pushing me to update last chapter...honestly, she's like a personal little slavedriver! She should be in this story, or something!

All you Karasu-haters...all you who hate him for his actions around Chapter Twelve....THIS CHAPTER'S FOR YOU!!

**Chapter Nineteen:  
****Someday We Will Be Free**

This was, he realized, the first time he'd seen Toguro in ten years.

Yusuke still hated him.

His brother (Elder Toguro) had literally crawled onto the Younger Toguro's shoulder, and sat there like a monkey on a tree branch. Karasu stood off to the side, not looking as if he'd spent the last two days on Suzaku's plantation (to be more accurate, in the outhouse); opposite him was some person Yusuke had never seen before—somebody large (hulking seemed more accurate), and covered in a thick armor. Nothing of his face was visible, as it hid behind a mask. Yusuke supposed that must be Bui.

Slaves stood in front of masters—two straight lines, one good, one bad. And unfortunately, the bad guys had the upper hand.

As Toguro talked, Yusuke's mind drifted back to the lesson in teamwork they'd just had. If they worked together, was it possible that they could mount a surprise attack on the four overseers and get away from this unhurt? No, the bracelets would prohibit that—but they'd figured out how to get around them the first time, couldn't they do it again?

Hmm...

His attention was jerked roughly back to the situation as the Elder Toguro started to speak.

"...been very bad slaves," he was saying, "And bad slaves must be punished."

"Hold on a second!" Jin protested, "He was going to _kill_ Kurama; if we hadn't—"

"Karasu is a trained overseer," Toguro cut him off. "He knows the boundary between life and death finer than any of you. Rest assured; Kurama would not have died."

"You liar!" Botan had to put in her two cents. "If you'd been there, you would've seen—" Toguro slapped her; she was propelled across the room and collided with the wall.

"BOTAN!"

_...something flying across the room..._

She slid down the wall to rest on the floor, a trickle of blood running down her cheek.

..._a crumpled heap at the bottom of the opposite wall, not moving..._

"BOTAN!" Jin ran across the room and knelt down next to her, "C'mon Botan, wake up..." Hiei flitted over next to him; Yusuke wanted to follow, but he couldn't move. Memories were flooding back—

"_I'll thank you not to harm my property."_

"_He attacked me! You saw him! Your slave deliberately—_"

"_And as his owner I, not you, should decide his punishment."_

He didn't want to remember this. He didn't want to see Kurama get taken away by Toguro again. Even though he knew that Kurama was back at the House, sleeping, he still didn't want to remember the pain of losing his friend. And a couple days ago, Karasu had almost taken him away for real...

The _bastards_.

When would they stop?

When somebody _was_ dead?

"A slave should know her place," Toguro was saying, "But if a reminder is needed, well..."

"Of course we weren't there," Elder Toguro added, well aware of all the hatred bubbling in the room, "We trust Karasu to get the job done by any means necessary. And, of course, some slaves are just a bit more rebellious than others—"

Anger swelled up inside Yusuke; anger that had been smoldering for ten years was added to the anger of a couple days past was added to the anger of the moment, hearing this creature speak—

"—Kurama deserved what was coming to him. He needed a reminder of how things stand."

—anger was overpowering his other thoughts, taking over his mind he could barely hear the words of whoever the hell was speaking he could barely think his thoughts were running away a mixture of anger and the need to remain quiet for fear something would happen to _him_ but this was _too FUCKIN' MUCH_—

A pressure on his foot brought him out of his angry thoughts; he looked down to see Hiei, standing next to him, his foot settling next to his body after stepping on Yusuke's. A quick meeting of eyes told Yusuke that the little fire demon understood _exactly_ how Yusuke was feeling—and that the time for revenge was not now.

"Your punishment for not knowing your place is not something you're unused to," Toguro was saying, "Of course...there may be exceptions." He glanced at Yusuke as he spoke, and Yusuke wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Have fun." A sharp pain shot into his wrist; he glanced down to see the bracelet sparkling with electricity, glowing with an unnatural light—

—that was all he saw before everything went black.

..::--::..

Eyelids snapped open; panicked pupils searching desperately for light contracted at the unexpected brightness. Eyelids slammed closed involuntarily to protect the orbs beneath them, protect them from the dangerous and yet long sought after light. A moan, quiet at first but quickly escalating in volume until he was screaming, thrashing out against the nightmares that tormented him even in wakefulness—

"Kurama!" Hands on his shoulders, suppressing him. He fought them, scared of the restraints—he had to move, had to get away—"Calm down, it's me! Touya! Stay still, Kurama—"

"_...now, now, you shouldn't struggle..."_

"—you'll hurt yourself, just calm down—"

"_...no...I wouldn't want to damage you more..."_

Eyelids flew open again, panicked eyes adjusting to the light, seeing not the Shinobi trying to calm him down, seeing nothing but an enemy, holding him down against his will—eyes squeezing shut as _something _happened—

A loud crash; the force restraining him lifted and there was silence. Blessed silence. Loud silence.

"Wow, Kurama," said Touya's quiet voice, "You sure can punch." Eyes opening for the last time, head turning to see _Touya_, see Touya getting up off the floor and picking up the chair he'd bowled over, see the swelling mark on his face. _Touya_. Not an enemy—_Touya_.

"...touya..." His voice, screaming voice, hoarse voice from crying and dehydration. "...i'm sorry..." Wetness, rolling down his face to land on the pillow below. Wetness, following, more and more. He was...crying? Why? "I'm sorry..."

"Kurama—" Bed lowering slightly as Touya sat down next to him. Gentle hand wiping away the tears falling freely from his eyes. "It's okay—"

"I'm sorry!" Kurama half-screamed, something deep inside of him embarrassed at his actions, the rest of him too broken to care. "I didn't mean for it to happen!"

"Hey, it's not the first time something like this's happened...Hiei nearly sliced my head off in Training once, remember?" Humor he didn't feel—how could he be so happy? So enthusiastic? How?

"I didn't mean for it to happen!" Oblivious to Touya's confusion; only aware of his. Why couldn't he get it? Why didn't he hate him for it? "I never wanted you to be a slave!" Shocked silence; obviously Touya hadn't expected that. Kurama squeezed his eyes shut again, tears still falling out and down.

"Is that it?" Touya said, quietly, "Is that what's been bothering you this whole time?" Never get it, never show pain. He couldn't—but he was_ right_... "Kurama—" Gentle hands taking one of his; Kurama stiffened reflexively in anticipation and remembrance. The expected blow never came. "Kurama, listen to me. Do you remember what my mission was?" No answer; he was too upset. _Why isn't he mad?_ _Why doesn't he hate me like-- _"To free Toguro's slaves, Kurama, _all of them_. Every single one. If I hadn't met you, I would have escaped with all his lower slaves, and forgotten the most important ones. The Freedom Slaves are the slaves he does _all_ his work with—even if we got rid of the others, it wouldn't matter. He'd make enough money off you to start over again. The five of you were more important than any of the others—if I'd neglected you _I would have failed_. And I can't live with that." Laughter; uneasy laughter. "You know that—I'm a perfectionist. I would've been back—and it would be much harder for me the second time around, don't you think?"

"But your _freedom_..." Laugher—true this time. Was there something Touya knew he didn't? Some joke he was left out of?

"What's the point of freedom if your best friends are still caged? It's no fun being able to fly while the rest hobble along below; even the sweetest fruit will taste sour if sour is all they get. Freedom has a certain flavor, Kurama—and it's a dish best served with others. After all, there's no limit on how much you can take!" Change of voice, kinder, with a smile in it. "Stop worrying about the past, Kurama. What's done is done—and whatever happens can't change it. The only thing we can do is worry about the future, and how to remedy the wrongs." Silence again; nobody moved. He tumbled these thoughts over in his head for a few minutes—one stuck out more than others. A question, burning question he had to ask.

"...are you okay with it?" Pause before response; thinking's good. Not good not to think.

"Yes," Touya said, finally. "I've met some of my best friends here. It still pains me to think about the Shinobi—don't you _dare_ start thinking that was your fault too—but like I said, what's done is done. Perhaps one day, when we are free, we can continue their dream." Eyelids peeling open, just a little bit. Small smile on his face to match Touya's; he spoke again.

"I guess...we're Shinobi in our own way." Touya cocked his head slightly in confusion; Kurama struggled to organize his thoughts. "We have...the same dream..."

"A world without slavery." Touya smiled. "And we will get it someday." Kurama smiled and gave up on thinking; his eyelids fell shut as he fell back into an uneasy sleep. Touya let go of his hand and slipped back to his chair, picking up the book that had also fallen on the floor.

_Someday..._

..::--::..

Not for the first time since he'd come to Toguro's, Yusuke was confused.

Actually, "panicked" may have been a better way to put it. Here he was, in the middle of a tree-surrounded clearing, with no idea where he was, how he'd gotten there, and where anybody else was.

Yes, "panicked" seemed to fit the situation quite well.

There were several more factors that could have brought this onto a much higher level of panic; the fact that he had no food, no water, no proper sense of direction, and no idea what was going on. The only thing he _did_ have was that STUPID bracelet which didn't let him do _anything_ useful—

Oh, yeah, and the sun was setting.

Gre-at. Just frickin' great.

_Okay Yusuke. Calm down. This is just like playing hide-and-seek with Kuwabara, only this time we've got a new trick up our sleeve, right? All I've gotta do is find someone with my new Energy-Sensing ability and they can tell me what's going on..._

It was a sign of just how much Training was helping him, as he managed to calm himself down enough to open up to his new ability, and sense the energies around him.

Nothing.

Forcing himself not to over-react, he tried again. Maybe he'd just done it wrong...

Still nothing.

What the _hell_? When he'd tried this in Training, he'd been able to sense _everybody_! Koenma, Touya, Hiei, even the sleeping Kurama. They were all like—like fiery beacons. He could sense their heat, and no two flames burned from the same wood. No, fire wasn't the right way to describe it. They were all...individual auras. Touya's was like a glacier; smooth, flowing ice, underneath which flowed a slowly healing river of hurt. Yukina was more like a gentle snowfall, gray clouds gently dropping snowflakes to tickle, not to harm. Hiei—now he was fire, dangerous, deadly flames burning off a fuel of emotions. Jin was a swirling, spinning tornado, eager to catch up any and everything in its path and take it for a ride; Botan a playful breeze with much the same attitude, if less force. Kurama was a giant tree, power funneling out through his leaves while the roots dug deep, seeking a source he couldn't find. They were all so obvious in his "other sight"—he'd activated it every chance he got, just for the simple pleasure of being able to tell where everybody was.

So why couldn't he sense them now?

..::--::..

"You wished to see me?" No suffix; no sign of respect. Karasu was confident in where he stood with enough to attempt a dispel of "slave and master" and make them stand on equal levels. Toguro swallowed a laugh; if only he knew.

"Yes." He turned away from the window, away from the house where his most promising slaves lived to his underling, the mask on his face hiding any evidence of a smile. That didn't matter to Toguro—not when Karasu's eyes showed all.

_Smug assurance..._

"A fitting punishment you gave them," Karasu continued, breaking the silence first.

"Yes. It will increase the survival skills that aren't directly linked to their abilities—with the bracelets hindering them, they will be forced to do things the way..._normal_ people do things."

"Hmm. A pity you could not send Kurama with them—he should work on those abilities, as well. He's so...submissive. He's simply just not a challenge these days." Ha. So he knew the reason he was here had something to do with his favorite slave. Observant.

"Picking on the slaves is not recommended, Karasu...especially those. I'll make this brief; you've overstepped your limits." A glance at the eyes, and it was Toguro's turn to be the confident one. "The slaves were right—as much as you know the border between life and death, a little more and you would have killed him. And rest assured, Karasu, I _would have killed you_."

As master of such rare powers, he couldn't allow them to be treated in such ways. If this went on, it was possible for Kurama to lose control of his abilities—or worse.

"You do realize what promise those slaves hold, do you not? Kill them, and any chance of that promise ever becoming a reality is thrown out the window. They've formed bonds with each other, bonds so tight that if you were to kill one, their rage may overpower everything else—yes, _even the bracelets_. And I do _not_ want that." Was Karasu so confident that he wasn't scared of him? Did he believe he was safe, that his abilities would save him like Kurama's had him?

He had another thing coming.

"You know that, surely." No response. Time for a change. "You do know how things stand, of course."

"Of course." Simple confusion; they all knew it. Time for a little refresher.

"The way things stand on this plantation, my brother and I are the most powerful. We control everything—the slaves are at the bottom. However, they control us to a certain extent as well—without their cooperation, we wouldn't be where we are today. And those who have the special abilities control us more than they think." There it was—open confusion. Karasu had such emotional eyes... "We're forced to spend our own energy into keeping them here, from revolting, keeping them alive so that they do the work we need. If there was ever a case of slave ruling master, it is here, on this plantation."

"But they don't know that."

"So where do you stand?" Toguro continued, stepping over Karasu's comment. "Are you a master, or a slave? And if you are a slave, what gives you the power to treat the rest of the slaves the way you've been treating them?" No comment; perhaps he wasn't as foolish as he'd been years ago. No matter; it just took a little of the fun out of it. "You are a slave, Karasu. Your status may be higher than all the others, save Bui, but it is still lower than mine, my brother's. And so even if we were the masters, you would be a slave.

"And as my brother put it so well, 'bad slaves deserve to be punished.'" At last; understanding. _So we're finally on the same level, are we? Too bad it came so late for you, Karasu. There's a reason why I am the master, and you are the slave..._

The doors slammed shut; a silver bracelet materialized on the master-turned-slave's wrist. He stared at it, purple eyes going wide in disbelief before traveling back to Toguro, watching as the master removed his coat and threw it casually into a corner.

The slaves called to clean up the room afterwards had to be the most trusted and skilled on the plantation; after all, blood doesn't come off the ceiling very easily, and Toguro didn't want this blood to spread quite so far.

..::--::..

"Would you calm down?" Shocked out of his panic, Yusuke froze and glanced about. He could've sworn he'd heard—he yelped and fell on his backside in surprise as Hiei appeared out of nowhere in front of him. "You're giving me a headache."

"Damn it, don't _do_ that!" Yusuke said, picking himself up off the ground, "You're going to give me a heart attack some day!" And just when he thought he was getting good at sensing energy, too! If Hiei hadn't spoken, Yusuke wouldn't have even known he was there.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Hiei demanded, "Mask your energy already!"

"Mask?" Hiei sighed.

"Yes, 'mask'. How do you think I was able to sneak up on you like that? Now hurry up before you attract something unpleasant! And calm down, while you're at it...your panic is mixing with your aura and giving me a hell of a headache."

"Sorry." Pause. "...uh, how do I mask it?" Hiei rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed with Yusuke's ignorance. "Well, excuse me for not knowing!"

"Think of your energy like a light," the Jaganshi explained, impatiently, "Put a cover on it." Think of it like a light...Yusuke looked inside himself and saw the giant, blue pool inside him that—really—gave off light. He imagined himself nearing it with—something giant, like a trash-can lid...he threw it over...

And his energy "went out".

Hiei smirked. "Good."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Yusuke called, running after Hiei as he set off into the setting sun, "What's going on? Where is everybody?"

"How should I know? They're all masking their energy, just like us. We'll be likely to find a place to shelter tonight, if we find them."

"But what is going on?"

"It's called a 'training mission'. Once in a great while, Toguro will randomly send us to an unknown location, split us up, and force us to get back to the House alive. As I'm sure you've noticed, we're still stuck with the bracelets, so we're forced to rely on our instincts and other abilities to survive."

"Survive?" Yusuke did _not_ like the sound of that.

"Hn."

The fading sun gave way to a star-lit sky as the two continued on. An owl called directly overhead, and Yusuke nearly jumped out of his skin. A bit embarrassed, he glanced at Hiei to see if he'd noticed. Since no remark came, he assumed he hadn't.

"We're here," said the Jaganshi, startling him again.

"Here? Where here?" Hiei didn't answer as he led Yusuke into the rather dark cave, hollowed in the side of a cliff. Yusuke blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. He really hoped there wasn't anything nasty living in here...

"Can you make a fire?"

"Um...no." Was it just him, or were Hiei's eyes _glowing_?

_It's just you, Yusuke._

"Then go get some wood."

"Right." Pause. "Where do I get it?" Those glowing eyes fixed on him; even in the dark he knew Hiei was giving him "that look". "...right." Suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, Yusuke left to go pick some branches up off the ground outside.

At least they didn't glare at him.

..::--::..

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Kuramafan:** n.n Thank you! More's on the way, don't hurt me! ((cowers in fear))

**Yume no Anime:** n.n Um...we called Hiei a demon once...I think the definition of a demon, here, is a very, very, VERY powerful user of Spirit Energy...or somebody who just looks freaky, like has fangs, horns, fox ears....etc...etc...does that make sense?

**cc:** Thank you very much! I would _never _abandon this story--there's too much left to happen, and too many possiblities. I just can't write fast enough! You're welcome about the questions...I try to answer everything reviewers ask (unless it's linked to a spoiler) so you can all read it and see it just like I do. ...your favorite story? THIS? WOW! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! ((sniff)) You have no idea how special that makes me feel...again, thank you! n.n Now I'm all happy....time to go write a happy chapter, then! ((skips off to write happy things))

**Saria19:** Um...not yet....((cowers)) DON'T HURT ME!!!

**Koritsune Dragonrider:** n.n CHOCOLATE! ((grabs chocolate)) ...you can have some, too. ((offers chocolate)) I don't like Karasu much, either...he is deliciously fun to write, but not for our poor characters. He's not a favorite of mine, either.

**kit-kit: **And there it is! ((points upwards))

**Dragonflyr: **I READ THAT FIC!!! IT IS INSANELY AWESOME!!!! You _must_ write more on it, must must must. Or else I shall send the rabid Evil Towels after you. n.n Of course you want to know what happens--what kind of a fan are you if you don't? n.n

**LoUdMoUtH87: **And so I did! Congrats on finding this fic at all....I'm still so happy you did! ((dances)) I like your screenname...Loudmouth, heh. I know some people like that...

**bakurakrazie: **Thank you! n.n I've got nothing to say either....that's sad...

**The Thief Kuronue: **Aw, it's okay....just keep your eyes open, please? I'm still looking...they're such a happy couple but I can't find a single thing! T.T HOORAY FOR MITARAI!!! ((waves little fans with Mitarai's picture on them)) I have another Mitarai fic up today! n.n You should read it!

**Tsuiraku Tanrei: **Pull a tearjerker....oh, come on, would we do that to you? Wait...don't answer that.

**flamin: **Oh, don't poke the computer....if you break it, you'll never find out how the cliffie's resolved...oh, wait, you probably did already....darn...I'll just have to give you another one! ((goes off to contemplate cliffies))

**Hedi Dracona: **YAAY!!! n.n

**bittersweet-memory: **n.n Thank you! I try to have a mix of everything...drama, humor, angst...I think there's more angst than everything else, though. Oh well. There are romance _hints_ in here, I guess, both yaoi and non, but it's all in the way you take things. ((perks)) An alternate het pairing? Not canon? ....do tell, my friend....do tell...

**Niana Kuonji: **Well, you COULD say that Hiei's been too busy to tip them off...but even if he did, it wouldn't exactly work at the moment. The bracelets "recharge" each time they enter the house, which means each time they _leave_ the house, they have to find a new source of outside energy to nullify them. Make sense? n.n And also Hiei can't tell them yet because the author said so. Oh, this update didn't take that long...only about two weeks...or so...

**Arashi-chan: **Typing on laptops is FUN! What are you talking about? And you've already read everything I've written (except a lil' pointless bit of Chapter 23), you....evil towel partner thing. Go shove glass up your nostrils or something. (Except DON'T because that would hurt. AAAAAH!!! I WAS KIDDING!!!)

**Crystal Koneko: **Thank you! Dun dun dun...Karasu's back! RUN! ...except not. I dun think he'll be doing much bombage for a while....heh heh...

**Anica106: **Thanks! That chapter was rather spur of the moment, but I figured you all needed some enlightening after the depressing Touya/Shinobi-ness. NYAG!! I'm updating as fast as I can! (Not). Let up already! ((runs away to do stuff that's not updating))

**Drifter008:** And there it is! ((points upwards))

**aqua-flames: **Thank you! Have to ask, did you get my email yet? You don't have to reply to it if you don't want to, I'm just wondering.

**Meyli: **What, you thought Yusuke was incapable of coming up with good plans? ....well, I can see where you'd get that impression. ("Come ON, it's Yusuke here! ....I don't have a clue!" ...one of the Jin episodes)

**The Legendary Beckster: **That's okay, I never said you had to like it! I appreciate your difference! ((bows to difference)) n.n About Karasu: Isn't he though? Why do you think we love writing him?

**Queen of Roses: **HOLY CHEESE ON RYE!! I LOVE YOUR FICS!!! The "Please Hear Me" one....wow....why did you take that one off? T.T That made me sad, you should put it back up. What was wrong with it? Nothing I could tell....hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry there wasn't a cliffhanger to make you "want more"....but if you scroll down a little ways, you _might_ just find a spoiler...

**clouds are yummy/shadowcat241: **BOTH of you? In one review? I CAN'T TAKE THE INSANITY!!! ((runs away)) Just kidding. Lots of people want to hurt Karasu...I can put you on the waiting list, if you'd like...

WOAH! I thought those would _never_ end!

Now, to thank you all for staying with us (and to make up for the cliffie-less chapter we threw at you), heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's a spoiler for the next chapter!

_"Fine," Hiei finally said, as the katana was returned to its sheath. His voice contained a thousand emotions behind the fragile wall he still fought to keep. But slowly, like watching the last drop of water fall into a glass, his expression changed from strained to what could almost be sorrow. A deep, deep sorrow, spawned from a painful wound that had not been touched in years."I'll tell you my story."_


	21. Chapter Twenty: The Only Family I Have

**RAMBLE WARNING**

Well, this took forever. Not that I didn't have it done, don't get me wrong--I actually have about five more chapters waiting in the wings for you guys--I'm just a lazy pig, is all. Seriously. That and I didn't know how to respond to some of the review responses, but I got it now. And I feel like doing them up here, just...because. So if you don't want to read my lovely angry author's rants, skip down to your review response...or the lovely little line where the story starts. I'll bet it's short in comparison.

First and foremost, to **ShinjuJaganshi: **Are you absolutely _positive _you didn't mean to submit that review to The Ohsukah Tournament instead? Because that is the _only, only, **ONLY **_place where I would even consider accepting a Mary-Sue into my story. I don't wish to sound rude here, but the answer to your request is a simple, unadorned, flat out **"no chance in hell."** I have spent _months_ planning out this story, and I am **not** going to throw away all my hard work just because you asked me to insert a "major" character who is not in canon, and therefore has no place in my AU. I absolutely DETEST canon pairings with an "OC", as you writers like to call your Mary-Sues, and I know I'm not the only one. This is not to say all OCs are bad; the _original _ones are very, very good...but the ones that are nearly _exact _copies of Hiei because you want to be so much like him? No. Not for me, thank you.

Yes, you may consider this rude. Yes, you may consider this a flame on your character. **IT IS**. I don't like people like you who seem to think that because you are madly in love with a TWO-DIMENSIONAL ANIMATED CHARACTER, he/she deserves to be yours, and your relationship deserves to be flaunted to all those who care--and everyone who doesn't. **Either get off the Mary-Sue wagon, or get out of my reading path.**

I've discovered on this website that all pairings like that never get reviewed, because the large majority detests them--and people don't review something they don't like. If you're going to write a story, at least make it original--and keep your characters and your hot-out-of-character-sexy-relationships to yourself, please. The rest of us should not have to deal with your dreams tainting ours.

There you go; my place in the matter is set and firm. **Generally, **(note the **_"generally"_**) **Ido not support Mary-Sues. **If you'd like to rant at me/with me (and this is to everybody who read that; I know some of you did), go ahead. You know where I'm at.

Now that I've probably scared you all away with my nasty side, let's move on to the other reviewers.

**Hedi Dracona: **I don't blame you! I feel sorry for _everyone_, regardless of whether or not they're villains. ...well, in real life, anyway. Animes are a different story. I FEEL YOUR PAIN!! ...sort of.

**The Thief Kuronue: **I AM SO SORRY I HAVEN'T REPLIED TO YOU YET!! The email's still sitting in the bottom of my inbox...apparently my "not-updating" streak has passed over to the emails, as well. n.n I have another Mitarai story waiting in the wings, actually...I just have to type it up and make a couple editations, then debate with myself whether or not it's postable. u.u We'll see. And I'm glad you liked the last chapter! The Touya/Kurama scene took _forever_--I have this big thing with the characters having to be "IC" all the time, and since it was a very emotional scene between two normally unemotional characters...that was the fourth try on that scene, and you only get to read it because Arashi demanded to read it and yelled at me for being a perfectionist. ...well, not really. n.n So thank you! I'm glad to know it wasn't horrible! ...speaking of horrible, if I were to write more Touya stories what would you like to see?

**Arashi-chan: **Well, you don't _have_ to shove glass up your nostrils; it was just a suggestion. But I guess you can be like Shikamaru and be glass-free, too.

**Niana Kuonji: **Now THAT'S a good saying! "Nasty fellows always get their comeuppance..." ...me like!

**Saria19: **Woo...still can't believe this took so long. About your questions--it depends on the overseer, really...you know how all the Freedom Slaves came from different places and in different ways? (Or do you? I forget how much I've posted and how much is waiting in the wings.) It's like that. I like your logic with Karasu and Yusuke, though...._very _well thought out.

**Dragonflyr: **Ah, poo, you updated before me! XP I do love your PoC/YYH story, if I haven't said so yet--such a change from your other ones. A better change, if I may be so bold as to say so.

**koriaena: **n.n What's a story without a couple good secrets? I do feel sorry for Yusuke--he doesn't have any, and tends to get ignored in what's supposed to be a Yusuke-centric fic. u.u

**LoUdMoUtH87: **Well, I guess it could be considered _not _punishment--it's more of a training thing, and we all know Yusuke considers training to be punishment. ;)

**The Legendary Beckster: **Confusing? How so? Maybe I can explain it a bit for you! And you're absolutely right--putting Karasu in the House with the Freedom Slaves would be very, very bad....for him, at least.

**Crystal Koneko: **Uh...sure. Hiei's story. Read it. Yes. n.n Judgement Day for Karasu! ...or more like Put-Him-Back-In-His-Place Day.

**Spatial Monkey: **Why don't you...read and find out?

**kit-kit:** You know, in certain situations our brains don't react as properly as they probably should. Have you ever had a total blackout where's there's something so _obvious _you should know it, but it just doesn't seem to come to you? That could have happened to Yusuke, or he could have been testing to see if Hiei really was going to send him out to fetch it. Perhaps he thought that if he pretended not to know anything, Hiei would do it himself. Also, where Yusuke may have gotten wood from at Suzaku's could be totally different than where Yusuke is right now--or perhaps he didn't fetch wood at all. If I recall from Chapter One, Yusuke was a field worker, and I'm pretty sure fetching wood would be more under the "house-maintenence" type of work, which was the female slaves' responsibility. Not all slaves did everything.

**Tsuiraku Tanrei**, **flamin**,** HarmonyHanyou**,and **Yarrie:** Thank you all for reviewing, and for your patience with my fast-as-a-snail updating!

**What2callmyself: **It got through, don't worry! And for Hiei's story...I'm not telling you! XD ...yet, at least.

**Queen of Roses: **Sorry about the shortness of last chapter...this one's a bit on the small side, as well. Next chapter should make it for it, I think. And yes, your timeline assumptions are correct--Karasu got the living daylights beaten out of him last chapter. And I don't mind your ramblings one bit--I asked, I'll beat myself up if I have a problem with it! Which I don't. I would _love _some descriptions of your next stories--oh, and should you want a beta-er at any point I'd be more than happy to volunteer!

**Koritsune Dragonrider: **More chocolate! HOORAY!!

**aqua-flames: **Yes way. And I haven't abandoned your email (we have been emailing each other, right? Or is that someone else?); like all else it's sitting in the corner, waiting patiently to have something done with it. Don't worry; it hasn't grown mold yet.

**cc: **Yes...I can understand how you'd think it was action-less. Some chapters are...that's the way the story goes. ((blink)) Hiei's eyes? Something was wrong with his eyes? Did they turn...neonpink or something? Actually, Kurama was only out of it for...two or three days, I think. It seems longer because he wasn't in so many chapters, but...he's better now, so rejoice! HOORAY! n.n And thank you for your patience with the "number-one story"!

**bakurakrazie: **DEAD?! KARASU'S **DEAD**?! What makes you think I'd kill off one of the most deliciously fun villians before the big climactic ending?! n.n I'm glad you liked the auras! Oh, and "hn", of course. Hn and moo to you too. (I loved that!)

**Anonymous, ano, ano, ano, ano, ano, ano, ano, ano, ano, **and** anonymous**: YES I AM GOING TO UPDATE!! You have no idea how much this freaked me out, to open my inbox and find ELEVEN reviews, ALL from you (and don't say "ano and anonymous are two different people", I know you're lying), with nothing more than "you going to update?" again and again and again! You act as if you're Toguro and I'm Yusuke! I hate to sound rude, but **I. HAVE. A. LIFE. **It's called "HOMEWORK" and "CHURCH" and "FRIENDS" and "FAMILY" and "OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS". GET THIS STRAIGHT: **WHILE I ENJOY WRITING THIS STORY, I AM NOT HERE JUST TO MAKE YOU HAPPY BY UPDATING. IF THE RESPECT YOU HAVE FOR THE AUTHOR IS SO LOW THAT ALL YOU CAN DO IS DEMAND, DEMAND, _DEMAND_, THEN WHY READ THE STORY AT ALL. I APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU SPENT READING THIS, BUT NOT THE TIME YOU SPENT REVIEWING. IT IS AN INSULT TO ME THAT YOU THINK I NEED _ELEVEN REVIEWS _SAYING THE _SAME THING _TO GET THE POINT. I AM AWARE IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH AND I AM SLOW, LAZY, A BAD GIRL, OR EVEN A BITCH IF YOU WANT TO GET NASTY, BUT THAT. IS. MY. PROBLEM. SOME PEOPLE MOVE SLOW; I AM ONE OF THEM. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET PUSHY, _GET LOST_.**

To those of you who are not **ano**, **anonymous**, or **ShinjuJaganshi**, please note that I was not yelling at you; I have no intention of insulting you, nor do I wish for you to stop reviewing. I am just _fed up _that people seem to think I'm only here to write for them. You know who you are. I'm just one person, guys. I know I'm slow, and other "one people" update more often, but _please_;_ try _to be a little more considerate! If you think it's been too long, send a review my way and ask what's up! Give me a way to contact you back, and pat you on the back for caring! But don't do what "ano" and "anonymous" did...it is a waste of your time, of mine, and it makes the author mad.

Now that we've got that settled, congrats to **Niana Kuonji **for entering the **Writer/Reader Reversal **for...um...September, October, and probably November! As she is the ONLY ONE who entered, we've gotta hand first place over to her...and as a result, since it seems nobody really cares about the Writer/Reader anymore, we're going to take a straw poll:

**Who among you would actually enter the Writer/Reader Reversal?**

Be honest; the results will determine the fate of the contest.

Now that I've doubled the chapter length, let's get to the real story. Sorry to take up so much of your time.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty:  
****The Only Family I Have**

"So...now what?" Disturbed by the eerie silence that had fallen once Hiei had successfully lit a (normal) fire, Yusuke asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.

"We wait," came the reply.

"Wait? Wait for what?" A sudden clash of thunder and lightning cut him off, and he looked instinctively to the mouth of the cave. A thunderstorm? But there hadn't been any rain clouds earlier—

A second flare of lightning lit up the cave, but it was somewhat obscured by the two figures standing in the entrance.

The moment was effectively ruined when one of the figures laughed.

"We brought dinner," said Jin, as he held up two rather large fish.

Botan shivered. "And just in time, too. Goodness, what a storm!"

"You even got a fire going for us! How nice of you, shorty!"

"I told you not to call me that."

"Have you seen Yusuke?" (Botan apparently hadn't.) "I haven't felt even the _slightest _of energy signals from him—do you think he's alright?"

"I don't know," was Hiei's response, as he turned back to the fire. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Hi," said Yusuke.

"Oh, Yusuke! Thank goodness you're alright, I was so _worried_—not that you couldn't handle it, Hiei," and she went off into nervous laughter.

"So how're you liking our training mission?" Jin asked, as Hiei pulled out his katana and began gutting the fish.

"I dunno," Yusuke answered, fascinated by the delicate care Hiei was giving the dead creature. "It makes _sense_, but—that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Right on!" Botan cheered. "You're absolutely right, Yusuke—we need to know how to do things without our powers, of course, but whoever said Toguro's way was the best way."

"We've got this down to an art," Jin went on, "Finding each other, anyway. Soon as you wake up, you mask your energy; every so often, you let out a _tiny_ trickle (just a little bit, so the monsters don't sense you). The others of us pick it up, respond with _their_ own trickle, and from there on it's just a case of finding the rose among the daisies!"

"Which basically means following the energy until it gets stronger and you find each other," Botan finished.

"I get it." Yusuke reflected on this new piece of wisdom, absently taking the speared fish Hiei handed him and sticking it in the fire (hopefully, to cook).

"Wonder what the others are doing," Botan said, quietly breaking the silence.

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed, watching the rain fall outside their dark shelter, "Me too."

**..::--::..**

"I thought we had an agreement!"

"Maybe we did," Kurama admitted, allowing Touya to push him back onto the pillows, "And maybe that was _yesterday's_ agreement." Touya laughed.

"Nice try. If that didn't work on Yukina, then it's not going to work on me."

"I hate you people."

"Right, I'll keep that in mind when you finally have the strength to get out of bed without collapsing."

"I do not collapse," Kurama protested, well aware that his head was spinning even from the half-hearted attempt to get up a few seconds ago. Time for a subject change. "Wasn't there Training today?"

"No."

"I see." Pause. "So...where is everybody, then?" Touya shrugged, and quickly managed to excuse himself for some random reason Kurama didn't catch.

_They're hiding something from me_, he thought, as he stared at the ceiling, _You figure somebody else would come to see how I was faring—Yusuke, at least, considering he practically killed Karasu—but nobody has. Either they're all incredibly stupid and uncaring, or—_

_Or Toguro's done something with them._

_But...why? Why would he—all of them—unless...unless Karasu came back--!_

_: Calm down,: _said another voice, _: You're being foolish. Even if this Karasu did come back, who's to say that's the reason they're all gone? Maybe Toguro threw a training mission for no reason, and pulled them all into it. This could all be a coincidence.:_

_I suppose you're righ..._ Hang on a second—where was that voice coming from?

A low laugh reached his ears—but not from the outside.

_: Isn't it obvious?: _teased the new voice_, : Come on, Kurama, I thought we went over this before! If I'm sharing a body with you, then shouldn't I be able to communicate?:_

_:GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!: _He screamed, "GO HAUNT SOMEONE ELSE!"

_: Sorry to disappoint you, but I can't do that. Even if I wanted to, I'm afraid I'm stuck with you until you die.:_

"But why _me_? Why am I the—"

_: Kurama, Kurama.: _He could almost see the fox spirit shaking his head. _:Let me show you...: _

And all went black.

**..::--::..**

When Yusuke woke up, it was sudden—one minute he was fast asleep, the next wide awake, staring into the darkness of the cave. The fire had long since died, so there was no light; the sky was still obscured by clouds.

He lay there, listening to the light patter of rain on trees, rain on stone, rain on ground. He could hear snoring on his left; gentle breathing on his right.

Jin and Botan.

Where was Hiei?

A gentle sigh, barely heard over the raindrops.

Yusuke, eyes adjusted to the darkness, looked over to the cave mouth. As silently as he knew how, he got up and padded over.

"Nice rain," he commented quietly.

Hiei didn't respond.

Yusuke tried again.

"What do you think the others are doing?"

"Sleeping, like any sensible person would be." _Go back to sleep, _said the unspoken words. (Yusuke was starting to see that with Hiei it was all about the unspoken.)

"Wonder if Kurama's woken up."

"He's probably fine." _He has to be._

Yusuke looked at him. "You really care about Kurama, don't you?"

"As do you," Hiei snapped immediately, turning away. A silence passed. "He was my first friend."

"Known him long?"

"Longer than you." Snap; quiet continuation. "I was already a Freedom Slave when he arrived."

_...the sharp knock on the door he'd come to expect from Genkai._

"_What?" he called, not bothering to get up from his position staring at the ceiling._

"_Don't be rude," Genkai snapped back, as she opened his door. "I've got someone for you to meet."_

"_Hn?" Interested, he pulled himself up, all three eyes heading towards the stranger in the doorway. _

_Red eyes locked with green, and Hiei instantly knew that this boy was something special._

"_Hi," said the five-year-old Kurama. "Why does your hair stick up like that?"_

"So...I'll take it you've been here longer than Kurama."

"Of the current Freedom Slaves, I was fourth." Despite the fact that Hiei was—_voluntarily_—giving out this information, he still managed to keep his slightly superior attitude, an attitude Yusuke was beginning to suspect he kept because he was afraid to show just how hurt he was inside.

Funny, how many people he knew like that.

"How many slaves like us there were before me, I couldn't tell you even if I knew myself. You should know by now that if Toguro sees no use for a person, he will not hesitate to get rid of them—I don't know how. All I know is that once they're gone, we _never _see them again. _Never_."

"Did you know people like that?"

"We told you about Chu—him and a bratty little kid named Rinku. Rinku was only with us for a month before it became apparent he had no use whatsoever. Chu was there for the war, and he probably would be with us today had Karasu not done what he had."

"Don't tell me." A cold feeling spread over Yusuke as horrid ideas ran through his head. "Karasu killed him?"

"Not quite." Yusuke breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't think it was possible to hate Karasu any more than he did already. "Chu was sort of—a father figure for Kurama. Not the best, considering his addiction to sake and other alcoholic beverages, but the closest thing he'd ever had. After the war, Kurama was probably the most emotionally scarred of all of us, save perhaps Touya. It was Chu who helped him out of his depression—needless to say, with the open hero-worship Kurama was giving him, Karasu got jealous."

_And where were you when Kurama was like this? _Yusuke wanted to ask, but kept quiet.

"It was only Toguro's intervention that saved Chu's life—and we haven't seen him since." Pause. "But you have to be used to it, if you're a Freedom Slave. One loss after another—and it will be this way until we die."

"How can you say that?" Yusuke exclaimed, horrified. "Don't you have any hope for the future? Any at all?"

Hiei turned away.

"I gave up hoping a long time ago."

"That's bullshit!" He could not believe this. "You're a _Freedom Slave_, and you don't believe that someday we'll be free? That we can kill Toguro—" His bracelet gave a mighty crackle, and electricity shot through his whole body, effectively ending that statement.

"How can we?" Hiei snapped, watching as Yusuke doubled over in pain. "You've seen what those bracelets do; how can we even think of revolting when we daren't speak of it without getting electrocuted?"

"You can at least..." Using the cave wall as leverage, Yusuke pulled himself back up. "...have some hope, Hiei! There's ten of us and one of him; we'll come up with something. Besides," he paused as a thought came to him, "I've got people I need to see again." And for the first time since returning to Suzaku's plantation, Yusuke's thoughts went back to all the people there. His mother...the Kuwabaras...Shiori...Keiko.

_Keiko..._

Hiei watched his reminiscing for a moment before turning away, closing his eyes.

"There's no one out there for me."

Yusuke blinked, startled out of his sudden thoughts of a brown-haired beauty.

"What?"

"You heard me." The attitude was back. "No one's there—I have no family, nobody who even knows I exist! And if they did know, they wouldn't care—they'd just try to kill me." _Again._

This was another thing Yusuke couldn't believe, and started to say so.

"That's ridicu—"

"They threw me off a CLIFF!" Yusuke took a step backwards at the barely suppressed rage in Hiei's voice. "A fucking _cliff_! What kind of a family does that? Would you want to go back to such a place, a place where they try to kill you within an hour of your birth?" His hands were balled into fists, his whole body visibly shaking with his effort to control his emotions. His aura, so tightly contained a moment ago, burst into angry life around him, black flames stretching, lashing out at an invisible wall. Yusuke was overcome by the sheer power of it; energy waves were flinging outwards from the tiny person, each bearing an emotion so thick he could practically taste it. Anger. Pain. Sadness. Loss.

As quickly as it had come, it was gone.

"There's no one out there for me." A soft plink, barely audible over the rain; a tiny black pearl rolled away into a corner. "This is the only family I have—" His eyes snapped open, blazing with hatred out at the rain. "And I'll be _damned _if I ever let them get taken from me.

"_DAMNED._"

Yusuke had nothing to say.

"There are times when I think you may have had the worst of it, Hiei." Yusuke whirled around; Hiei didn't move. Hands thrust into his pockets, Jin continued. "Worse than me, worse'n Touya, heck, even Genkai! At least we're not afraid to admit our weaknesses. At least we don't keep it all bottled up inside us, restrained until it bursts—"

"SHUT UP!" Hiei spun around, katana out and leveled at Jin. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH!"

"Which is exactly my point!" Jin was not going to give up. "You said it yourself, Hiei, this is the only family you've ever had—and like it or not, we _stick _with that. Families don't keep secrets from each other—that's not what a family's about. It never has been and it never will be. We can't live together with such a wall between us, Hiei—and if you're too scared to bring it down, maybe you don't belong here." Red eyes widened; Hiei went so still Yusuke wondered if he was dead. "And if that's the case, then you can go back to your murdering family. Because I sure as hell don't want to be pulled down by the secret you refuse to tell us."

All eyes were on Hiei at this point, watching his face. Watching those million thoughts pass from ear to ear, behind that unnatural third eye. Waiting for a reaction.

Yusuke was the first to notice that his sword was shaking.

Held by an unsteady hand, it was most definitely wavering, even as those red orbs filled with what Yusuke could've sworn were tears.

"Fine," Hiei finally said, as the katana was returned to its sheath. His voice contained a thousand emotions behind the fragile wall he still fought to keep. Taking a guess, Yusuke pulled all his curiosity and turned it into friendly, calm energy, releasing the grip he held just a little bit, in the hope that Hiei'd pick up the peaceful vibes and finally let go. He felt Jin do the same a moment later, and slowly, like watching the last drop of water fall into a glass, Hiei's expression changed from strained to what could almost be sorrow. A deep, deep sorrow, spawned from a painful wound that had not been touched in years.

"I'll tell you my story."


	22. Chapter TwentyOne: Forbidden Child

**Author's Note: **HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! I meant to have this up as a Christmas Present of sorts, but that passed, so I meant to have it as a New Years' thing, but...my Internet died (I'm doing this at Arashi's), so you get it as a Back-To-School present!! XD

**Arashi says: **Niyali is a dirty cheater.

**Niyali says: **You're a bad influence on me. To the rest of you, three things. **1) **I am currently editing the other chapters of TGIAG...if you'll look back at the first ten, you'll see how it's being done. Sorry for the interruptions in style. **2) **I over-reacted last time in my author's notes. **If I offended _anyone_ due to my stupidity, allow me to apologize. **I got carried away, and as a result, I exaggerated. I don't hate _all_ OCs, as I stated...it's just gotten to the over-population point where I can't tell the difference between an OC and a Mary-Sue. **3) **I just discovered I've caught the really nasty flu bug that's been going around lately. Hopefully, it won't be too bad, but don't expect a fast update. ...wait, since when do I update fast?

**So Far: **In the midst of a Training Mission, Yusuke and co. are about to learn the secrets of the forbidden child...

**This Chapter: **Hiei tells all.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One:  
****Forbidden Child**

_A clearing of trees; empty. Rock-flecked dirt as a carpet; no grass grows here. No foot steps here, save one little, lonesome boy._

_And he is drawn, drawn to the empty clearing like a moth to light. Specifically, he is drawn to the sword._

_It sticks out of a tree, buried almost to the hilt. What little light there is glints off the steel, off the plain, leather-wrapped hilt. A small hand reaches out, gingerly touching it before quickly drawing back. Red eyes dart around the clearing, but no one is there. A bit more confident, the hand touches the sword again, and finally pulls it out._

"_It's so beautiful," whispers a voice, hoarse from silence. He hasn't spoken in days, but the reason escapes him as he watches the sunlight shine on the sword. Plain to an expert, but to him whose only weapons were sticks and stones, this was what an ocean must be to a puddle._

_Transfixed, he draws it up, sweeping it over his head in an arc. To him, it seems to sing, and fits in his hand better than anything he's ever held._

"_HEY!" growls a voice, and he whirls to see a tall, hulking, butt-ugly brute stepping into the unstepped clearing. "That's my sword you're playing with." Pausing between fear for himself and the need/want for the sword, the boy finally decides on the latter. Carefully obvious, he looks the creature up and down, up and down._

"_No it's not," he replies, in that raspy unused voice. "You're too big for it." He swung the sword again. "It fits me."_

"_Give me back my SWORD, you little sonuva—" It was over too fast; one minute feet were on the rock-flecked dirt, the next it was as if he was flying, sword dancing until he lands, more at peace then he's ever been before._

_The challenger topples over, head rolling a good foot away from the rest of his body._

_Blood stains a clearing of trees._

"The first memory I have is of my first fight." The fire crackled cheerfully, adding the not-needed level of irony to this situation. Odd, how the times Yusuke learned more about his friends were in so very different yet similar settings (it was raining here, too). Jin had restocked the fire, and the three males sat around it; Botan slumbered a distance away. Hiei's quiet voice did not disturb her. "It was over a sword—how foolish that seems now. But a sword it was, and with it I won.

"I wish I could say most of my life I've lived on my own; in reality, most of my life has been with the Freedom Slaves. What came before it was nothing—I roamed. Anywhere, everywhere, fending for myself, the only thing on my mind the instinct to survive. I had nothing—not even a name."

"_...you poor thing!" cried the woman, as she opened the door to her cabin wider. "Quick, come inside, you'll catch your death of cold—" Rain poured out of his hair, drenched his already soaked, threadbare clothing more. He was tired, hungry, every instinct crying for the shelter this stranger was offering him. Yet he shook his head._

"_What's wrong?" Her eyes clouded in confusion. "I'm not going to hurt you—come on, little one. I want to help." Still he shook his head, this time taking a step backwards. Never trust anyone, was the lesson he learned and stuck by._

"_At least let me bring you something," the woman pleaded, "You'd like that, wouldn't you—what's your name?"_

"_I have no name," he whispered, and fled._

"The clothes I wore I stole; when I couldn't kill to eat I stole. Running, always running—hiding. Lying." He sighed. "Habits are hard to break—even now I catch myself doing it." A crack of thunder filled his self-debating pause.

"There was one thing I had," he finally admitted, "One small clue to my past." He paused to tug at a thin rope hanging around his neck and tucked under his shirt. It came out, and Yusuke saw the tiny, perfect jewel that hung from it.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning forwards to get a better look.

"It's a Hiruseki!" Jin looked to Hiei. "Right?" At Hiei's nod, he whistled. "I never thought I'd see one of those—that's worth a lot, that is!"

"My mother gave this to me." His eyes dropped to the gem as he fingered it delicately. Lovingly. "The only symbol of her affection towards me that exists." The jewel dropped from his hand to hang against his chest, the firelight turning it into a glittering sphere. "Of course, that's all pure speculation—she could have formed this out of hate for the Forbidden Child she produced. They say people can cry from hate." He sighed. "It's true."

Yusuke failed to see the connections. "Wait, back up a second—you lost me around the 'formed' part. Are you saying your mother _made _that?"

"Don't you know?" Hiei replied, bitterly. "My mother is part of the race called the Koorime—to make a long story short, all Koorime share at least one trait; when they cry, their tears mix with their Spirit Energy to form a hard, perfect jewel.

"That's how Hiruseki stones are made."

"Can you..."

"Make them? Of course; I am half Koorime."

"_What on earth is THAT?"_

"_Whatever it is, it's pretty—I'll bet it's worth a lotta money, too. Hey, kid, where'd you get the shiny jewel?" _

"_I have no reason to tell you."_

"_Come on, one thief to another—just tell me where you stole it from and—" Steel cut off his sentence as it cut off his head; his eyes turned to the one remaining person as a sword slipped back into its sheath._

"_Don't insult me if you wish to live."_

"Koorime aren't like normal humans—I wonder if you could even consider them human. One reason to that logic; they don't need a member of the opposite sex to help them reproduce."

"What?" Yusuke knew how reproduction happened—what slave didn't? But how could "it" happen without...

"I don't know exactly how." The bitterness was back. "Do I _look _like I've tried it?"

"No," Jin admitted, "Unless that's the reason you're so short...?" Hiei shot him a glare. "Didn't think so."

"ANYWAY, whenever the females reproduce, the offspring is _always_ female. As a result, their entire...plantation, I suppose you could call it, (though it's more like a village) is female.

"To state the obvious, my birth was a little different.

"Once upon a day, a Koorime female (well into womanhood I may add) fell in love with an outsider. A _male_ stranger, to be precise. One night, they met in secret—"

"Just stop right there," Yusuke said, putting up a hand, "I _don't_ want details." Hiei practically grinned, showing fangs Yusuke'd never noticed before. _Koorime trait...? _Images of fanged women spread through his mind, and he quickly dismissed that idea.

"Well, they had a child—but the child was male. To keep their Koorime village 'pure', the elders seized the child within an hour of his birth, wrapped him in a coccoon of wards, and dropped him off the cliff their village was built on. They expected him to die.

"He lived."

And suddenly it all made sense to Yusuke. "That was _you_!"

"So you're a Forbidden Child?"

"When did you wake up!?" Jin exclaimed.

"When you and Hiei were talking about his sex life," Botan answered cheerfully. Hiei glared at her too.

"A Forbidden Child?" Yusuke turned to Botan, "Is that just a fancy term for unwanted?"

"It's a fancy term for his situation," Botan explained, quite calm despite the silent promise of death she and Yusuke were receiving from Hiei. "He's the only case I've ever heard of, but when somebody's born into a civilization that doesn't want them, and banishes them, they're known as a Forbidden Child. Oh, but we're interrupting you! Go on, Hiei." Exhaling through the nostrils, Hiei did so.

"I didn't remember much of my childhood—a couple vague moments that stuck in my mind; that's all. When I was around—ten years old, perhaps?—I had them rather forcefully shown to me...not by my own choosing, let me assure you. It was this damned thing's fault." He jerked a finger up at his forehead, at his bandanna, at the third eye sleeping behind it. "And before you can ask, I _wasn't_ born with it." Yusuke closed his mouth. "It was...implanted."

_...again, he tried to attack his captors. Again, he failed._

"_Hey, boys, look what I caught!"_

_They'd taken his sword, bound him with these painful ropes. He tried biting through them, but he couldn't get his hands up to his mouth._

"_Where did you find _that_?"_

_A dim part of him was listening to what they were saying—another part was panicking, a third was forcing himself to remain calm. Years of wary practice..._

"_Caught him trying to steal some of our food—go figure."_

_...all for naught._

"_Should we let him go?"_

_Eyes darted around the room. There had to be an escape somewhere—_

"_No, I've got a better idea."_

_--ah, the window!—_

_But something jerked the rope tied around his neck, and he choked, spun backwards to meet the eyes of the man who'd caught him._

"_You're going to be part of an experiment," said the man, "Now won't that be fun..."_

"I never caught their names—I didn't care. It was no use beating myself up over the simple mistake of being caught...even though I still curse myself for it. My luck had finally run out.

"The group I failed to steal from were...inventors, of a sort. They specialized in genetics; to be specific, body parts. They were looking for someone to test their newest creation on—the Jagan eye."

Yusuke took a sharp breath, wincing at the thought. Botan's hands flew to her mouth in horror; Jin just stared. Hiei avoided their eyes.

"I'll never forget it," he continued, his voice choking on emotions, "Things like that you just can't forget.

"No matter how hard you try."

_...the cold steel of the table against his bare back, the metal pinning his wrists, ankles, even his head down against it. He could feel it all._

"_Now, don't be afraid." His eyes darted over to the white-clad speaker, standing by a giant machine. "This shouldn't take very long, and it's all for a very good cause. We're so thankful to you for volunteering."_

_It was useless correcting him; it was useless to try to escape. All he could do was listen to the sharp, loud whine of the machine as it started up, and watch a spinning blade come closer and closer to his unprotected forehead..._

"They cut into my scalp; when I thought they couldn't go any further they did. I remember the sound of steel grating on bone, my bone, as they drilled a hole through my skull. I think I passed out around then. When I woke up, I was back in the barred cage they put me in, and no words can describe the condition my head was in. It was—it was almost as if a part of my brain was exposed to my nerves; I could feel it singing with my heartbeat in pain. I remember reaching up to it, remember there being no lump, no indication of what had happened.

"I remember the pain that followed was exactly as if I'd poked myself in the eye.

"And I remember screaming."

_...blood on the floor, blood on the walls, blood on his hand, blood running down his face from a third eye as it filled with blood, trying to wash out the irritation. Screams echo throughout the cage as he tries to rip the unnatural appendage out of his forehead—more blood runs down his face, but the eye will not come out..._

"The bleeding stopped, but the pain did not—it was as if something had snapped. I even thought I heard it, way back in my mind. My own eyes were closed from the pain, but I could still see my prison, coated in red from the blood-washed eye.

"I could feel it—the eye—it had a mind of its own, and I'd made it angry."

_...screams, screams again as he twitches, unused to the feeling coursing through his entire body. Unused to the pain, unused to the power that lay dormant inside him suddenly bursting to life, roaring through his blood. He sees shadows, shadows formed by the fire dancing in his bloody hands. He sees the cage bars bend as an unnatural hand pushed them; he sees himself step through them. He sees the doctors, the captors, sees their horrified faces before they, too, die in the flames. At least their death is sudden; they won't have to suffer through the heat and smoke of the burning building, black flames licking the sky as a black shadow makes an escape..._

"It hurt—in all my life, I have never felt pain so intense. I didn't know what I was doing; it was only afterwards when the Jagan showed me all the tiny memories locked inside my brain I realized I'd killed them all.

"That was when I learned about myself; how I'd survived through the first years, all those little things I'd stolen and forgotten about when they wore out their use. I was like a shadow, slipping from here to there without a sign I'd been there—not even a sign to myself. The Jagan fixed that, and after I saw what I truly was, had it all laid out for me in literally the blink of an eye, I was able to name myself.

"From that day on I was Hiei—here one moment, gone the next, fading away like a flying shadow.

"Had I known how to use the Jagan at the time, I would have escaped Toguro much longer than I did. When I destroyed the lab, he felt the power surge—and he came after me."

_Running again. That was all he did these days; that was all he'd done his whole life. Run._

_He didn't bother to look back to see if he was still being followed—the Jagan told him he was. _Run, _it said, _You cannot win. Flee, until you learn how to better use what gifts you have. Then you can fight. _Normally he would argue, say that he was the best—he was good with the sword, wasn't he?_

_But he didn't have a sword anymore. He'd lost it in the fire._

_There was nothing to do but keep running._

"For a long time, I stayed hidden, leading Toguro this way and that, never staying in one place more than a day. I slept little, ate little, spent most of my time on the go. Never before in my life had I been hunted so vigourously—all the others had given up as soon as I was a mile away from the village that had so graciously given me food. Toguro was different—Toguro didn't give up." A heavy sigh. "And as I'm sure you know, Toguro caught me.

"That was the end of my freedom."

Another sigh.

"The rest you know."

"A Koorime..." Botan finally broke the silence. "Who would have thought?"

"Not every day you live with one of those," Jin admitted. "Not that we mind," he quickly added.

"This is great!" Botan couldn't contain her excitement. "Now we have two Koorimes under one roof!"

"Two?" Yusuke turned to her. "But there's only one of him!"

"No, silly," she waved a hand at him, "Yukina's a Koorime—she told me so! She was kidnapped by slave traders a couple years ago; that's how she came to be with us." Her face lit up in the firelight as she got an idea. "Hey, wouldn't it be odd if the two of them were related?"

"Yeah!" Jin was quick to agree. "They could be—they're both short, and they have the same colored eyes an' all..."

"Related? But they're complete opposites!" Yusuke stopped protesting as he let the idea sink in. "Obviously not twins...?" A vein pulsed in Hiei's forehead.

"Siblings?" Jin turned to Hiei. "Are you siblings?"

"How the hell should I know?!" Hiei snapped back, "You think I _asked_ her?"

"Yukina did say she had a brother she's never met..." Botan mused.

"JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" His yell echoed throughout the cave as they stared at him, the Jaganshi on his feet and seething. "SO WHAT IF WE ARE RELATED, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TELL HER! HOW DO YOU THINK SHE'D FEEL IF SHE FOUND OUT HER LONG-LOST BROTHER IS A MURDERER AND AN OUTCAST?"

"That's not what I meant!" Botan protested, "Don't you think she'd be happy—"

"FORBIDDEN CHILD!" Hiei practically screamed at her, "DO YOU HEAR THE WORD 'FORBIDDEN'? I'M FORBIDDEN WITH _ANY _CONTACT WITH _ANY _OF MY KIN! IT WOULD NOT ONLY PUNISH ME BUT _HER_ AS WELL!"

"Hiei—" Jin made as if to stand up, "Calm down—" Hiei's chest rose and fell quickly, hands clenched into fists for the second time that day.

"I _can't_," he hissed through gritted teeth, his voice returning to sorrowful with each word he spoke. "—I _can't_. have. that. I will not have anyone I care for hurt by my past. If that means never telling my sister the truth, then so be it. I won't have any more."

"Hiei..." Botan whispered. "I'm so sorry, I never meant..."

"Don't be." He thrust his hands in his pocket, and turned away, heading for the mouth of the cave. "It's not your fault."

"Hiei—"

"Let him be." Yusuke turned to Jin, who sat again with his arms folded, face sober. "He's had a rough time, that one—just let him be, Urameshi. He'll come back when he's ready; we just have to give him a little time to deal with himself." His blue eyes were sad as he looked at the rain-backed figure, seated all alone at the cave entrance. "He has to heal some of this himself."

"I know," Yusuke agreed, sitting back down, "I just don't like sitting by when I could be doing something to help."

"That's not a bad trait to have," Botan assured him. "You're just a person who wants to right the wrongs you see in the world—but you just have to know when to sit back, that's all."

"Yeah." Yusuke's own eyes strayed back to the rain. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

* * *

**Review Responses**

**Hedi Dracona: **Hiei told all.

**Sapphire Angel: **Thank you! n.n I'm so picky when it comes to characters...it's good to know that you think they're in character!

**Crystal Koneko: **What's Yoko doing? Showing Kurama his memories. What are those? ...those are for Kurama to see. XD

**Tsuiraku Tanrei: **Thank you! n.n It's good to know somebody wasn't offended by my author's ramble. And, no, I didn't exactly promise anything. It was Arashi's idea! ((sob))

**Anica106: **n.n Thank you! Hopefully Hiei doesn't feel so left out now, but we can't tell for sure. And...what's caustic mean? We think it's similiar to "evasive", or even "sarcastic", but only because "caustic" looks like "sarcastic." We're stupid today, you see.

**Cerulean-Searoach: **"Slowest updater?" You? Darn it. I hoped the author's rambles weren't terribly boring--I'll be taking them out, eventually, but until then--enjoy the Hiei angst! XD (And I will be replying to your emails...sometime soon...my Internet died right around Christmas.)

**HarmonyHanyou:** Thank you!

**Dragonflyr: **Let's see...we already debated all your stories in emails...what's left to say here? XD I will be replying to your email, soon, I hope...I'm just getting lazy and becoming obsessed with the Internet and not-answering-emails. Stress-filled life, that's me.

**Arashi-chan: **Aw...are you sure you wouldn't like to push some glass up your nostrils? After all, your _glasses_ are oh-so-conviently located right around there...

**Niana Kuonji: **If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to check out your fics to see if they're Mary-Sues!

**Wild Roses: **((accepts cookie)) Thank you! n.n And I like your stories, as well! The HP/YYH one, especially. How's that one going?

**kit-kit: **Yes, Hiei's story was rather similiar to the show's, wasn't it? But it's such a good plot, I only had to...add a few things, and there it was. Besides, it's good to have a bit of canon here and there, don't you think?

**koriaena: **We're not entirely sure how old Hiei is--he won't tell us. I guess he's just one of those people who "ages gracefully", if you get my drift. (And we loved your smiley face, by the way. Reminded us terribly of a certain one-visible-eyed perverted ninja from Naruto, if you understand us.)

**Spatial Monkey: **Aw, you don't have to be an evil villain to laugh evilly! Just ask Arashi!

**The Thief Kuronue: **The Freedom Slaves aren't really the type to share secrets with each other...maybe because their particular secrets seem to be more weakness than anything else, and in their time and place, you can't really afford to be weak. Many thanks for your suggestions about Touya stories, by the way! And if you could send me a link to your website again, that would be _great_. I kinda...lost it.

**Saria19**: Wow, haven't heard from you ina while, did somebody steal my alarm clock? And to answer your questions: Chu has somehow mysteriously vanished from my mind and is late in returning, Hiei's loss of freedom was explained in the chapter, there seems to be a mysterious blank where Genkai and Toguro are concerned, I'm rather reluctant to spoil the plot for you, but Toguro should "discover" Yusuke's "true" potential around Chapter 26 or so.

**Koritsune Dragonrider: **XD It was, wasn't it? How could I ruin such a great plot already? And thank you for the chocolate! ((huggles))

**What2callmyself: **Yes, Kurama is Hiei's first friend. It makes a lot of sense, don't you agree? And the voice in Kurama's head...well, it is a recent thing. Started around Chapter...11, I believe? Or somewhere along there...and the review came through--hooray! XD Hopefully, you'll come up with more questions to ask...I love answering them, even if my answers aren't very helpful because I don't want to spoil anything for you.

**b/k: **n.n Thank you!

**Crimsonbutrfly: **Moxius, eh? Hmm...the conversation between Touya and Kurama was originally meant to help Kurama see that what happened, happened, and that it was all okay. Kurama was feeling guilty, and blaming himself for getting Touya stuck with them, and the conversation turned until Touya had to admit he was happy being where he was--and who he was with. ...make a bit more sense?

**cc: **Hopeless romantic? Well, your hopeless romantic ideas seem to fit in line with just what I like to read and write, so there! XP Ah! So _somebody_ caught the "Hiei-not-being-very-helpful" bit! HOORAY!! n.n Hiei is such a delightful character...when you do him right, you can have some _delicious_ mood swings.

**Slow Motion Runner: **A new reviewer? How nice! ((huggles)) Welcome to the fic! I'm Niyali, I'll be your tour guide throughout the experience...thank you for your kind review! It's great to know I'm keeping things well-blended; I'll admit that's why my chapters take forever, because I'm reeeeeeeally picky about having everything just right. n.n ((giggle)) And your favorite scenes match mine! I have to give Arashi some credit for the toilet scene...mostly because she was in the same room as me when we'd just had some sugary food, and since we can never write anything serious when we're sitting right next to each other....you get the picture. I'm so glad you took the time to list all your favorite scenes--I could ramble on and on about mine, but I think that would sound like I'm boasting, and nobody likes a boasting author. n.n It's okay for you to ramble, though! I enjoy reading long reviews--especially ones that say they enjoyed the fish gutting scene just as much as me! XD

**KuramaIsFine: **Kuwabara only gets one fangirl?! Now that's not fair!

**Minuiko: **n.n Thank you for reviewing! And yes, it is alright to ask me to update...once or twice, and in context with some other stuffs. n.n Like you did!!

**Flamin: **((blinks innocently)) Evil? Us? No way! That's the Towel.

**ShinjuJaganshi: **n.n We already talked about this, so it's all right. All is forgiven; and I recieved your character a while back, and if I can, will work her in as soon as possible!

**I don't know: **o.O You cried? Wow! That's...amazing, I don't cry much myself, and to make other people....((wipes away random tear that totally contradicts last statement)) You just made my day! ((huggles))

**Naiei-no-miko: **And yet another person who believes Yusuke's only good for blasting stuffs. He shouldjoin a demolition crew or something. But don't worry; Toguro has a reason for Yusuke being there...even if nobody else knows it yet.

**SSSRoaB: **First off, let me start by saying just how much I enjoyed your review! It made me laugh: "would it be really annoying if I started to beg for an update - yes it would. So I won't." ((giggle)) That isone of the _best_ things anyone's ever said in a review! Itcracked both me and Arashi up, both with your sense of humor (combined with the fact that the "ask-for-an-update-urge" still hit you), and with your politeness and respect in not begging. Thank you so much--I hope you keep on reading (and maybe reviewing, but begging for reviewing is annoying too. Watch the author kill two birds with one stone--she makes an attempt at lame humor and uses reverse psychology to beg for reviews! How exciting!!)!

**Kaura: **n.n And you shall have more!!


	23. Chapter TwentyTwo: Returning Home

**Author's Note: **I'm terribly sorry for not updating in so long. My life over here is absolute chaos: I'm in two plays at the same time, and have projects due left and right, and this to do and that to do, I've barely had a moment for myself for the past few weeks. I'm flying out to Massachusetts for the long weekend/my belated birthday present in three hours, and _boy_ will that be a welcome break!

So anyway, I just thought I'd get this up to you so you'd all know I'm still alive. I have the next _ten chapters _all written out, and I will try my absolute hardest to get another chapter up before Easter. I'm sorry about the shortness of this chapter, but it's necessary before we can get to the fun stuff.

On a happier note, WE HIT 400 REVIEWS! HOORAY!

Due to my shortened time on the computer, and because I really, really want to get this up, I'm going to have to be sparing with the review responses. **Generous thanks to the compliments of:**

**Koritsune Dragonrider  
Anica106  
Koriaena  
Minuiko  
Spica P.I. **(did you review before? Are you a new reviewer? Either you haven't or it's been so long I forgot...n.n;;)  
**kit-kit  
Dragonflyr **(I did see your update! It was wonderful! HaI wonder who updated last, you or me?)  
**Hedi Dracona  
Saria19 **(I'm sorry I was so vague in responses. It's been hard over here. And about Yusuke the Overseer...well, it would probably be Toguro, due to the fact that Toguro owns the plantation and has a special interest in Yusuke that will be displayed within the next...oh...eight chapters or so. And about your other questions...well, I haven't seen the whole series, so I had no idea Yusuke and Jin were related. Raizen is likely not going to throw in an appearance here...but the sequel's an entirely different matter, I suppose...)  
**Crimsonbutrfly **(congrats on your new name that's probably not so new by now! Moxious to you too. XD)  
**Naiei-no-miko  
Meyli  
Arashi-chan **(what can I say? Writing bloody scenes has always been fun. n.n And I did get your drift...but the chapter that's coming OUT isn't for another three or four.)  
**Niana Kuonji **(yes, I will read your fics. EventuallyI'm rather busy over here; sorry.)  
**B/k **("Signed with a hn-ish moo"...that is absolutely lovely!)  
**The Thief Kuronue** (sorry, but the link to your site didn't show up. Perhaps you could email it to me...?)  
**Flamin  
tensi-notia  
Samara  
Tinia Durham  
Kendra  
ice-apparition16  
Aura  
hiei's lover  
Elyndewen Startree **(o.O Everything? Wow! If I didn't mention this earlier, I can get you the previews...if you still want them...?)  
**Vixen Urameshi  
**  
Again, thank you all for taking the time to review!

This chapter is dedicated to **Cerulean Searoach**, mostly because I'm winning our who's-worse-at-answering-email contest, and because she would not stop bugging me about putting in a certain scene. Well, the scene's here...I actually had a lot of fun writing it, so here's to you!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two:  
****Returning Home**

_There was no knock_; no warning at _all. One minute the_ room was empty, the _next he was there, standi_ng as if he _belonged there, in_ that room, in _that spot next to the bed._

"Relax," said _his voice, a voice from_ _the familiar stranger_ who shouldn't be there. "Everything's fine _now—all you need to worry_ about is healing. Recovering. _Regaining your strength."_

"_What..."_ Words choked out of a stunned _throat. "How can you..."_

"It doesn't matter." He _took a step closer. Normally his gigantic _size would have caused _some feeling of alarm, but there was _no room for anything like that. He was _too confused, shocked, afraid—_"I don't mean to hurt you, _like he did. Rest assured,_ he won't hurt you ever _again." And suddenly the stranger's hand was _on his forehead, and he found himself _unable to move. Every limb seemed_ weighted down with lead—even his eyelids_, as a profound peace and_ tiredness set in. "Sleep, _Kurama—nothing can hurt you_ in this house. Nothing."

_Unable to keep awake a_ny longer, Kurama slept.

W_hen he woke, the familiar_ stranger was gone. _There was no sign that anything _out of the ordinary had happened.

_And so the_ memory was dismissed as a _dream._

**.:-:.**

Rain dripped off the trees, landing in puddles which reflected the clearing sky. Clouds were chased away by the sun as she came out to smile upon the world. A choir of birds sang cheerfully; all was right with the world.

A figure hummed along as she gently picked some flowers from the rain-jeweled garden. It would be nice to have some cheer around the house, Yukina thought. What with Kurama still recovering, he couldn't provide flowers for them, so these would have to do.

She straightened up from her bent position to head back inside; these flowers would need water if they were going to survive at all.

A shadow crossed her path; she looked up and nearly dropped her precious bouquet.

"Hey Yukina," said Yusuke, "You got any food to spare? I'm starving; all we had for dinner last night was a couple under-cooked fish."

"Be nice!" Botan hit him upside the head. "You don't just return home and start demanding food first thing!"

"Well I was hungry!" Yusuke complained, hand to his head. "What did you expect me to do?" Yukina giggled, wet flowers held in one hand as the other was brought up to hide her amusement.

"What's going on out here?"

"Hey, Grandma!" Yusuke was the first to notice Genkai's arrival. "Would you like to explain to Botan the priority food has over manners?"

"You're a pig," was Botan's retort to him. Genkai smirked.

"I can see a night in the wild hasn't changed you one bit, dimwit." She eyed the group, ignoring Yusuke, "So you all managed to survive, huh?"

"Yes," said Hiei.

"Sorry to disappoint you," said Jin at the same time.

"That's a relief," Yukina was able to talk without cracking up again. "Why don't we go inside? These flowers need to be put in water."

"And there's someone who wants to see you," Genkai said to Yusuke, who blinked.

"Me?"

"TOUYA!" Jin exclaimed, throwing his arms around the Ice Master and lifting him off his feet within seconds of their arrival in the kitchen, "I missed you!"

"I missed you too," was Touya's reply as Jin crushed the air out of his lungs. "Jin? I can't breathe, Jin..."

"Sorry!" Jin let go, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "Got a lil' over-excited there. Won't happen again."

"That's what you said last time," Touya murmured, putting a hand to his ribs to check they were still in one piece. He grinned, looking up at his friend. "Welcome home."

"Enough sappy reunions; it's not like you've been away for three years," Genkai interrupted. "Touya. How's he doing?"

"Fine," was his nonchalent response.

"And by fine you would mean...?"

"The same. Still awake—he's not quite given up protesting yet, be warned of that."

"Who's not done protesting?" Yusuke felt very much in the dark.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten already," Genkai mock-groaned, "You saved him from death and you can't even remember? Ai yi yi, what do they teach you kids at Suzaku's..." Yusuke's eyes widened as he finally got it.

"KURAMA!"

"I thought he'd never get it," Genkai mumbled as Yusuke disappeared down the hall. "You're going the wrong way, dimwit!"

But Yusuke didn't hear her. Eventually he got himself straightened out (mostly by throwing open one door after another until he finally found the right one).

"Hello!" said Kurama brightly, as Yusuke stood in the doorway, mouth open, "Come to save me from those so-called friends who refuse to let me get out of bed, have you now?" He blinked. "Yusuke?"

"You're ALIVE!" And in much the same manner Jin greeted Touya, so Yusuke tackled Kurama and hugged him.

"Ow...Yusuke, get off, you're hurting me..."

"You nearly scared me to DEATH, Kurama! Don't you ever go almost dying like that again!"

"Yes, well, I regret to inform you you're crushing my rib cage..."

"I MEAN IT!" Even so, Yusuke loosened his grip. "Promise you won't do that again!"

"Okay, okay—" Kurama laughed and held up his hands in mock defeat. "—I promise already! Now get off!"

And so the lost returned home.


	24. Chapter TwentyThree: The Obvious Choice

**Author's Note: **((insert many apologies)) So sorry--my school musical happened and then state testing. I bet you're all ready to kill me, if you haven't forgotten about it yet. On the plus side, I'm making it up to you with an uber-happy chapter known as...a filler! HOORAY!

**Review Responses **are being shortened, once again, due to the assumption not a lot of you remember what you said a long two months ago (to be honest, neither do I! ((insert sweatdrop))). Use CTRL + F to find your name if you're in a hurry. Many thanks to: **Dragonflyr, ice-apparition16, HarmonyHanyou, koriaena, Saria19, Naiei-no-miko, Niana Kuonji, Bluespark, Cerulean Searoach **(you little plot-guesser, you! ((mock-groan))Why did I ever make the horrible mistake of letting you read this thing? I must've been high on something.), **Meyli, kit-kit, The Thief Kuronue **(I have been thinking about a sequel, yes. And the Sensui and Makai Tournaments are absolutely _swarming_ with plot-bunnies. XD), **S p i c aP i, Elyndewen Startree **(I can still get you those previews. Okay if they're on a floppy? Trying to save trees, here--it's a preeeetty big file.), **Serenader, Doomschneider **(Thank you! I'm honored that you like it so well!), **Lachwen, blackrose113, dreamingsilver **(Slave-driving committee! Surely you jest! There's no such thing here...yes, I'm aware there's a screaming mob with pitchforks and torches yelling "UPDATE! UPDATE!" outside my door, but slave-driving committee? Haven't seen one of those since Toguro. ;), **Yusukefan **(I will "fucking update" when I please, thank you. Excuse my quoted French).

**So Far: **Yusuke and company have at long last returned from the evils of the Training Mission, as punishment for trying to right the wrongs in the world. But it's beginning to seem that no matter what they do, there's always some other injustice hidden just around the corner...

**This Chapter: **Beware--that in plain sight may not always be the safest plan.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three:  
****The Obvious Choice **

_One Year Later_

Knock knock knock.

KNOCK knock knock.

Knockity knock knock knock—

"Would you stop that?" Botan hissed, glaring at Jin as he absently knocked his fist against the wooden walls of the training room.

"I'm _bored_," Jin protested, "We've been waiting here for _hours_!"

"Not hours," Touya said, glancing at the clock against the far wall. "Half an hour, maybe, but not hours."

"Do you think Master Genkai's almost done yet?" Yukina asked.

"She's working with _Kurama_," Hiei pointed out, "At this rate, we'll be lucky if we can start by dinnertime."

"Good." Yusuke hooked his hands behind his head and leaned back against the wall. "It's my day for dishes."

"Well, we certainly wouldn't want to prevent you from that," said Genkai, as she closed the door behind her. "So let's begin, shall we?" And she went on to re-state the rules of Capture the Flag: no going outside, or destroying anything that's not a member of the other team or that you could go around. Two three-man teams; first team to get their flag back to her wins the game.

"Hang on," Touya interrupted. "Aren't there seven of us?" Genkai nodded. "So how can there be two teams of three if—"

"Oh, there are still two teams of three." She grinned. "One lucky person gets to be his own team, and he'll be against all of you. _His _objective is—well, that's the whole point of the game. You must figure out his objective in order to keep him from achieving it, while still working against the other team to win the game. Get it?"

"But that's not fair!" Botan protested, "His objective could be _anything_, from destroying both our flags to getting a drink of water—how are we supposed to know!"

"You're not," said Genkai simply, and she broke them up into teams.

Yusuke's team consisted of him, Jin, and Hiei; the Blue Team was Touya, Yukina, and Botan. Which meant Kurama—

"So Kurama's the one-man team?"

"That's right." Genkai glanced at the clock. "Two pieces of information for all of you, and a warning; one, neither flag is in a bedroom, two, nor are they in the kitchen or the dining room. In fact, except for delivering the flag, you should stay out of there. That, and watch out for Kurama—he's been planning this out since last week, which may strike you as not fair," (Botan closed her mouth,) "but I think you'll find the extra time was needed.

"I'm expecting the game to be over by dinner—and just to make sure you actually finish this time—" (Jin laughed nervously), "—the winning team has no chores or Training for an entire week. Okay?" She looked around, locking eyes with each of them in turn. "You know I don't normally wish you luck, but this time I'll make an exception. Now off you go—and good luck!

"You're gonna need it," she finished, as her students left the room.

**..:--:..**

"_So Botan was right—Kurama's objective could be anywhere from destroying our flag to capturing our flag, or even capturing us."_ Hiei's words echoed in Yusuke's head as he cautiously checked the hallway. All clear. "_This means be on your guard at all times—and if you see him, knock him out, or something. It may be doing the other team a favor—but it's still one less obstacle for us. Which means do it."_

_Knock him out, or something—_Yusuke quickly raced down the hall towards the staircase _–I guess I could use my Spirit Gun on low power—_

"Hello, Yusuke."

"Hey," Yusuke responded automatically.

"I wouldn't step on that step if I were you."

"Yeah, thanks Kurama." And Yusuke resumed thinking as a thousand name-association words rushed into his head.

He paused.

"_If you see him, knock him out, or something."_

Yusuke whirled, searching the curving stairwell for any sign that someone else had been there. Nothing. His energy senses didn't give him anything, either. Dismissing it as a figment of his imagination, Yusuke took another step forwards.

The Blue Team found him ten minutes later—a very _long _ten minutes for a certain black-haired slave hanging upside-down from the ceiling.

"Get. Me. Down."

**..:--:..**

The other members of the Red Team weren't having much success, either. Not only had they managed to lose complete track of Yusuke, Jin had gotten his foot stuck in a pincer-like plant contraption, which Hiei'd been forced to burn away before they could move on. Three steps later, seemingly solid floor had given way beneath his feet; Jin nearly pulled his arms out of their sockets to prevent him from falling all the way into the hole.

Kurama was going to _pay_ once they found him.

"Stop." Jin did so, blinking in surprise at Hiei.

"What's up, Shorty?"

"You see that wire?" And he pointed to a thin, visible wire stretched across the floor of the hallway. "Don't step on it."

"Well, _duh_—"

"Or on the one after it." Hiei pointed to a second one, that Jin had to squint to make out. "Get it? The first one was a diversion to lure us into a false sense of security, so we'd step on the second one and trigger something."

"Woah." Jin pulled his foot back and glanced down the hallway. "Good thing you saw that."

"Hn." Hiei stepped over the wires. "You're just unobserv—" And his sentence was cut off as something snagged against his foot, and three seconds later he found himself with an unbelievably strong wire around his foot, a wire that was attached to the ceilling and didn't even come a quarter of the way down to the floor.

"Now who's unobservant?" The upside-down Koorime glared at his smug partner.

"Shut up and get me down."

**..:--:..**

"Oh, my," Botan breathed, staring at the hallway in front of her.

It had taken the Blue Team nearly an hour just to move up two floors; the House was so ridden with booby traps it was impossible to take even one step without looking _completely _around, ahead, above, and behind. Trip wires, nets, snapping plants, Botan was nearly _positive_ it was Kurama's objective to kill them, or at least prevent them from going anywhere.

Tiny, ice-covered wires criss-crossed the hallway in front of them in a completely random pattern, wires they hadn't been able to see until Touya'd sprayed the hall with frost. They crossed from ceiling to floor, turning the hallway was a 3D box of wire. To make matters worse, each wire was connected to a strand of a giant net spread across the ceiling, as well as to its surrounding wires. This meant, of course, that if even _one _wire was moved, it would trigger a chain reaction, causing the net to fall and trap anyone who was in the hallway at the time.

Now, that wouldn't have been so bad, save for the fact that both the Red and the Blue Flag were placed in the dead center of the hallway, the only section clear of traps save for the many blades hanging from the net above, angled just right so that if they fell, the flags would be sliced to pieces.

The only funny thing about this was that the Red Team was at the other end of the hallway, also stunned at the complexity of the situation.

"He's obsessed," Yusuke muttered, staring at the wire-crossed maze, "Kurama's obsessed with wires."

"They're easy to make traps with," Hiei pointed out, "Stronger than rope, harder to see."

"This must have taken him forever to make," Jin said, eyes darting over the hallway. "I almost feel sorry we're going to have to destroy it."

"We can't destroy it!" Botan exclaimed, "That would destroy both of our flags and make us lose the game!"

"And since Kurama doesn't have a flag, that means he'd win," Touya added grimly.

"Wait a second." Yusuke was getting an idea, "We can't destroy the wires because that would destroy the flags, right? But what if we only destroyed the _knives_—"

"And how do you propose we do that?" Hiei asked, "In case you haven't noticed, you have to go through the wires to get to the knives, and there's no way in hell we could move fast enough to destroy them and save the flags."

"What if—what if we held _up _the net?" His words tumbled over each other in his excitement; this was the first time throughout the whole game he'd been able to help with a trap. "With Jin's wind—Jin could use his wind stuff to hold the net in place, so that even if somebody triggered a wire, the net wouldn't fall! Then we could send somebody through—like you, Hiei! You're small enough, you see? If you're really careful, you could make it through the wires without touching more than a couple—and even if you did, Jin would be holding the net up so it wouldn't fall on you and kill the flags."

"There's only one problem with that," Touya pointed out, smiling, "Hiei has a much higher body heat than anyone else—he would likely melt the ice on the wires and not be able to see if he was about to run into them. And since Jin's wind would have to be _extremely _intricate to not move the wires more than necessary, I doubt he could manage to hold up the net from repeated attempts to bring it down."

By the gritting of Jin's teeth, Yusuke knew that Touya was right.

"But we can't fit a normal sized person through the wires," Botan faltered.

"I can fit," Yukina said, quietly.

"That's it!" Determined not to be upstaged, Yusuke had come up with another idea, "We can work _together_! Jin holds up the net while Yukina gets _both _of our flags—then she passes ours off to us, and we have a good clean race to the finish."

"An HONEST race," Hiei corrected, not missing the looks the Blue Team was exchanging, "Which means you have to _promise_ to give us our flag so we all have an equal chance at this."

"And if you don't promise, I won't help." Jin folded his arms across his chest. "And no breaking it, either!"

The Red Team was forced to wait while the Blue Team held a hurried counsel, but it wasn't long before they had reached a verdict.

"You've got a deal."

**..:--:..**

Yusuke knew his team was going to win. He just knew it.

He first knew it after Yukina had handed them their flag and they had bolted straight for the Training Room. His heart was pounding with suspense, excitement making it beat faster and faster as his team reached the room first, fully prepared to pass their flag off to Genkai.

That was when Yusuke knew they were going to win.

And this knowledge made him so smug that he failed to pay attention, falling flat on his face as something seized his foot. Thankfully, Hiei'd been carrying the flag—but when he was only a foot away from Genkai, something unexpected happened.

They'd forgotten about Kurama.

"So," Genkai said, smirking as she surveyed the scene in front of her, "What have we learned today?"

"Wait a second!" Botan protested, "That's not fair! How come he wins!" She pointed at Kurama, who was standing on the opposite side of the room. "He didn't do a _thing_!" And that was true. To prevent the Red Team from winning, Touya had destroyed their flag at the last moment—in return, the Blue Flag had gone up in flames as Hiei lost his temper. Apart from creating a wall of plants to prevent anyone from getting to Genkai, Kurama had, truthfully, not done anything. He hadn't even moved since they'd entered the room (except to speak, but that didn't count).

"That was my objective, actually," he said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "I was supposed to destroy your flags—but I wasn't allowed to touch them in any way." He laughed half-heartedly. "I never thought I'd have to do so little!"

"Which tells me something about the six of you," Genkai snapped at the losers, "It tells me just how eager you are to get things done."

"Eager?"

"Not everything!" Yusuke spoke up, "I'm not eager to do dishes at all!"

"Shut up and let me finish." Grumbling, Yusuke complied. "When the Blue Team destroyed your flags, the first thing you did was to destroy theirs, because you thought that would end the game, and it would all be over. Well, yes, the game did end, but the thought apparently never crossed your mind how: that once you destroyed the Blue Team's chance of winning, Kurama would win by default! I understand," she continued, holding up a hand as Jin opened his mouth to object, "that you had no idea what his objective was, so naturally you went to disable the largest team, and the most obvious! BUT YOU CAN'T ALWAYS DO THAT!" And now everyone was quiet, their full attention on their teacher. Genkai practically never yelled—well, she did yell, but never so loud as that. This was an exception, and Genkai only made exceptions when she was **fed up**. "There will be times in life when the obvious choice is not always the best one. I'm surprised that none of you have learned that already—what with all our failed escape attempts!"

Yusuke's eyes nearly fell out of his head. This was the first time in nearly six months that anybody had even _mentioned _escaping. Ever since he arrived, it was train, train, train—and while that had gotten him stronger, it left next to no room for freedom plans anywhere in his mind.

So why bring it up now?

"We've tried all the obvious," Genkai went on, "And every single time we fail because we overlook something small. The bracelets, the overseers, the distance to another plantation—we just think that once we get there, our problems will be solved. Once we destroy their flag, we'll win. Once we get away, we'll be free.

"And I think all of you should know by now that that never works." She sighed. "Why do you think we play these games?"

"For fun?" Yukina suggested, meekly.

"No—I'm trying to teach you lessons. We play Capture the Flag for lessons in teamwork, in strategy, in how _war is fought_. I'm trying to teach you all the things you'll need—all the things you'll need to win your freedom..."

"Wait!" Touya had to ask. "If you're training us for war, then that means—"

"Yes." Genkai closed her eyes. "I think it's time for you to know. The only way we're ever going to be free...

"...is if we kill Toguro."


	25. Chapter TwentyFour: Weakness

**Author's Note: **Anybody else notice we totally missed the one-year anniversary? I didn't either.  
We're moving on to a at-least-every-two-week updating schedule...I hope. That's due to the fact that I promised I'd have this finished by the end of the school year--or at least all written out!  
Now remember, guys...just because we all know that Toguro's got to be dead for them to be free doesn't mean everyone else does. The Freedom Slaves are for freedom and _peace_ more than anything else; if there was a way for them to be free that didn't involve death I'm sure they'd take it.  
**Random Fact: **The "n" key is one of the most commonly used keys on the keyboard. Guess that's why mine broke off.  
**Another Random Fact, Aimed Specifically At Naruto Fans: **Happy one-day-late-birthday to Iruka-sensei! I'd say this is in honor of that, except that's kind of the wrong anime.

**The Uber-Condensed Review Response Thank List Of Doom (TUBRRTLOD)--**Use CTRL + F to find your name if you're in a hurry**: Anica106**, **Hedi Dracona**,** Dragonflyr**, **Saria19** ((Darn those "factors!" In this case, there are a few preventing the "transfer energy idea" from working. First, if they're outside the House then they have to be wearing their bracelets. The bracelets limit energy use unless used for a purpose aiding Toguro. Escape obviously doesn't, so they wouldn't be able to do something like that. Their only hope for the transfer-energy plan is to get someone from the outside who doesn't have a bracelet to free them.)), **Serenader, Crystal Koneko, The Thief Kuronue, Meyli, Bomb-O-Maniac **((O.O You really scare me sometimes!))**, Bluespark, Naiei-no-Miko, Lachwen, Natalya**((XD Welcome to the fic! I'm so glad you like it! don't be ashamed of being a Toguro-brothers-fan! The Younger Toguro's cool himself. ;) I don't mind telling you that Karasu's not dead...and he's certainly not 'restrained' like everyone else seems to think. Ramblers ahoy! XD)), **kit-kit, Niana Kuonji, dreamingsilver **((XD! Did the plot bunny catch you or did you catch it? Actually, though, I don't want to burst your bubble/spoil anything...but I think your bunny has an evil twin that caught me a while ago. XD)), **Kuranga108 **((are you a first-time reader? Hooray! I'm so glad you enjoy it!))

**Thanks to all! First-time readers, be sure to reviewand say hello (and mention that you're new somehow!) and I'll be sure to say hi!**

**So Far: **A year has changed the way Yusuke views his slavery; it seems as if no matter what he learns, there's always something worse around the corner. Toguro's death may be the only way out.

**This Chapter: **An old "friend" returns, and much is suspected.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four:  
****Weakness**

It was second nature to be able to draw up his energy, and Yusuke did it with ease, watching the shelf of silver for any reaction.

There—a glow of blue—he grabbed the glowing bracelet, slipped it on his wrist, and opened the door.

At first glance, Toguro's plantation was a beautiful place. And at second or even third, it still was. By then, the beauty was somewhat obscured by the sheer _size_ of the place, and the number of buildings—buildings, buildings, buildings. The slaves' quarters were immense, tiny little huts crowded together in strict formation, the river that danced through the plantation reaching them last of all. Said river flowed down a slope, above which was where everything else happened—storage, production, and bondage.

Oh, and the Masters lived there, too.

It was, in brief, like a street. A wide, dirt road stretched from one end of the plateau to the other, the river running through it at varying points, so there were bridges arching over it. On the side leading to the slave quarters were trees, with the important business buildings (for storage, and production, to name a few) peeking cleverly out. On the other side (it was Yusuke's right, at the moment) were the fields, stretching for miles and miles, each field divided into rows, seperated by dirt and irrigation ditches. Healthy looking crops grew in each; when Toguro wasn't making profit off their powers, he needed another income source. Of course, if his income had a little help...well, that wasn't his problem.

And that was why Yusuke was out here.

The fields were nowhere as beautiful as their own little garden, in the back of their House—but then again, Yusuke thought everything about their house was great (except for the whole bondage bit). Behind him, it stood at the end of the road, surrounded by trees, grass, and other greenery. It stood in an oasis of shade, white walls staring at the world as they formed rooms, passageways, turrets. Glass windows caught the setting sun and smiled, grins of red, gold, and white. In the back, Yusuke knew, was their little garden, carefully tended by Kurama to display the prettiest plants and flowers. The backyard was small, but green with grass and trees, trees blocking the outside world so when you were there, it was as if you were in a secluded glade, all alone from everything. Yusuke liked it back there.

The Big House ahead of him was just as spectacular, if not more so. Bigger, wider, the back faced him, flowerbeds neat and orderly (that was the difference, he thought—they were too orderly. Their garden was could be called "chaos", but at least it looked realistic). The front faced the paved, open road, on which anyone not from this plantation would have to come to meet with Toguro. But that wasn't where Yusuke was going.

At least, that wasn't were he was _supposed _to go, but seeing as his energy senses told him Kurama was there, that was where he went.

Sure enough, as he neared the Big House, he saw Kurama, sitting in a tree, green eyes vacant, and unseeing. Yusuke had to call his name three times to get a response.

"What are you doing up there?" he asked, once Kurama'd blinked back to reality and smiled down at him.

"Nothing in particular," Kurama replied, "Is there something you need?"

"Yeah; it's time for dinner."

"Be right down." The red-head sped down the tree with ease; Yusuke wasn't worried he'd slip. He knew enough about Kurama's ability now to know the tree wouldn't let him fall.

"Man, I'm jealous of you!" Yusuke said, hooking his hands behind his head as Kurama walked up to him.

"Me? Why?"

"You don't have to train with Grandma for a _whole week_!" He stuck out his tongue. "_Or _do any chores or anything! It's not fair!"

"I did win," Kurama reminded him.

"But you had a whole week to plan it out! That's not fair to the rest of us..."

"You sound like Botan."

"Shut up, Plant-boy."

"…Yusuke?" Kurama asked, after they'd gone a few steps, "Can I ask you something?"

"Hm?" Yusuke hadn't been paying the strictest of attention. "Yeah, sure."

"This is going to sound a little strange, but—do you hear anything?"

"Hear anything?" He turned away from the colored clouds to his friend, who was not looking at him, Yusuke noted. "Like...what, exactly?"

"Voices."

"Voices? You mean, besides us?"

"Yes, voices, coming from that way." Kurama gestured behind them, towards Toguro's residence.

"Um—" Yusuke stopped and listened hard. After a minute or two, he shrugged and turned back to meet Kurama's gaze. "I don't hear anything. Why?"

"Oh—no reason. Let's go; we're late enough as it is." He started walking again, but Yusuke wasn't convinced. Something in Kurama's eyes—in the way he'd quickly looked away when Yusuke hadn't heard anything, told him that there was a reason Kurama had asked.

And for the first time in at least a couple months, Yusuke had a sinking feeling something was wrong.

**..:--:..**

Twenty minutes later, he was certain of it.

The Freedom Slaves, whenever possible, ate their meals together, like one big, happy, if sometimes loud family. Tonight was a rather subdued meal; no Training today, but it had been "clean the hallways" day, so everyone was pretty much tired from scrubbing down wooden floors.

Tiredness was forgotten as Kurama asked them the same question he'd asked Yusuke.

"Voices?" Koenma put his fork down on his plate (he was in teenage form—he usually was, these days).

"Why?" Botan asked, blinking in confusion.

"Because every time I pass Toguro's mansion," Kurama explained, eyes flickering from person to person, "I hear voices, coming from inside. It's a fairly recent development; last week I couldn't hear them at all."

His eyes weren't the only ones moving, Yusuke noticed, as Koenma, Genkai and Jorge exchanged a look.

"What do they say?" Koenma asked, cautiously.

"They say..." Kurama's brow furrowed as he struggled to remember. "It's mostly complaints, I think—no, that's not the word. There's a lot of crying—statements—it's really bad for them...there isn't enough light, or water to go around...they're crowded together in a tiny space, so there's not much room..." He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. All eyes were on him. "It's all jumbled, so many voices crying together—the only clear thing I can make out is, 'Let us out. Let us out of this place.' " He swallowed.

" 'We want to go home.' "

Yusuke noticed the looks around the table; mostly confusion, concern, but the look that passed between Koenma and Genkai wasn't either. His bad feeling skyrocketed.

"I'd like to help them." Kurama blinked, seeming to come back in focus with the world. "I don't know how, yet—but if Toguro's keeping them locked up, shouldn't we—"

"No." The focus at the table snapped to Koenma, who was frowning. "You're not to go near Toguro's anymore—none of you are. Stay away from there; don't even _think_ about going inside! If there _is _anything going on, we'll find out about it—but none of you should worry yourselves over it."

"What!" Jin had been stunned speechless at the words "not to", but he seemed to have recovered, "Why not!"

"That's outrageous!" Botan shrieked, "What if there really _is _something going on in there? Are we just going to sit here and let it happen?"

"Yes!" Genkai snapped, "It concerns you in no way—think of it this way, even if we did know what was going on, how could we stop it? None of the rest of us have heard these voices—" Kurama stiffened.

"You haven't?"

"No," said Genkai firmly, but the rest of her words wee lost to Yusuke as he watched Kurama's reaction. The boy was now staring at the table, hand to his forehead, facial expression not one that made Yusuke feel any better.

He wished he knew what Kurama was thinking.

"You probably just imagined it," Touya said quietly, also not missing what was going on, "Don't worry, Kurama, I'm sure it's nothing."

"But I didn't imagine it," Kurama whispered, so quietly that Yusuke had to strain to hear. "I know I didn't."

Yusuke wasn't so sure.

**..:--:..**

There is a darker side in everyone; the side where all mischief and bad behavior comes from. The side that tells us to be nasty little boys and girls, to eat that extra chocolate bar, to pour the soda over our sibling's head, to not do our chores today, to not obey our parents. Everybody has a bad side; for some people it is easier to control.

But somehow, someway, there will come a time when the bad shall break through.

And sometimes that's okay, because there are reasons behind it. Take Yusuke, for example— take _all _the younger Freedom Slaves for example! They didn't stay away from Toguro's because a) they had to pass there on a daily basis, b) Koenma told them to, or c) they just _couldn't_, for one reason or another.

That was it, Kurama decided, a reason for a reason for disobeying. It made perfect sense, really—if no one else could hear the voices, then it was up to him to solve this problem. It was up to him to go in there, find the source of those voices, and...well, he'd figure that out when he got there.

He sat in a tree, the same tree Yusuke had found him in earlier that day. It was well after dark now—probably past midnight. The moon was up, hanging just shy of a full circle in the clear, starry sky. Not clear for long, though; he could see clouds gathering on the horizon. It would probably rain tomorrow, if not later tonight. No matter—he wouldn't be out then. He was just waiting for the last light to click out—and then he'd be in.

_:Wise: _reflected a voice in his head, _:Very wise. I take it you've learned something from me, then: _Kurama didn't reply. Living with Yoko for a year had been highly educational, both in skills and personal knowledge such as when to humor him, and when not to. This was a "not to" situation, and so Kurama ignored him.

(Of course, this particular situation of two-in-one-body did make it rather challenging for him, especially when Hiei decided it was time for a little Training with his "all-powerful-mind-reading pimple," as Yusuke put it so well, but they'd managed to work around that.)

After all, it wasn't as if Yoko could be thrown out. That would likely kill both of them, and besides...Yoko had his own reasons for revenge.

The last light flickered off, leaving the house in total darkness. Kurama quickly ended his train of thought, slipping out of the tree and over towards the door.

_:Be careful: _Yoko cautioned, as Kurama slowly eased it open, _:Just because all the lights are off doesn't mean they're all asleep. Someone could wake up at any moment, at the slightest noise, and that's not what we want.:_

_:Of course: _Kurama agreed absently, already inside the house and moving quietly throgh the hall, up the stairs, down the corridor, listening for the voices. Following the voices.

"_Help us,"_ they cried, quietly at first but growing louder with every step, _"Help us, let us out of here—too dark too dry too crowded let us out please help **please LET US OUT!"**_

And there he was, standing in the hallway of the fourth floor, standing where no slave had ever stood before, hand slipping off the doorknob, staring at a cold, dark room where the cries were coming from.

As his eyes adjusted more, he felt Yoko start in shock. He might have been saying something, but Kurama didn't hear him as his knees hit the floor, hands fumbling for the doorframe, clutching it desperately once he found it, unseeing eyes locked on the dirt-covered floor.

"No," he whispered, shivers caressing his spine as the inhabitants of the room reached out to him, "No—I don't want this—"

_:This is my fault: _Yoko interjected quietly. Sorrowfully. _Guilty. :I never thought...I should have warned you—:_

"No—" Kurama couldn't hear him, he _wouldn't_—this couldn't be, why _him? _Why did he have to—

Something touched his knee, and he looked up. Into the room—

"_You can hear us?"_

—the tiny, dark, cold room—

"_You can...save us?"_

—the tiny, dark room crowded with plants. Big ones, little ones, flowers, vines, all weak, all dying. All reaching out to him, on his knees in the doorway...he could feel them all.

All their pain...their tortured, dying existences...it **_hurt_**—

_:You'll get used to it: _Yoko said, uneasily, _:I never thought so much of me would carry over to you, or I'd've--:_

"No!" He clung tighter to the doorframe as the horrors of his new ability sunk in. If it hurt so much in here, so close to only these poor, dying plants, then what about..._winter_...? When everything would be dead—?

_:Pull yourself together: _Yoko snapped, and Kurama felt a mental slap. _:It only hurts so much now because you're new to the ability! It'll dull, with time, but for now just go outside! Get away from here—there are lots of greener, _living _things outside—you'll feel better, trust me--:_

"I don't want this!" A tear dropped to the floor; a single tear, hard-fought to escape. "You've already made me different from everybody else, I don't need this to—"

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong," said another voice, eerily close behind him, "True, none of the others are as different as you...but none of them are as special."

And something exploded...

**..:--:..**

_He ran, one foot touching down for a mere second before he pushed off, leaping for the next tree. Again he landed and again he was off, moving through the trees so swiftly and silently it was as if he was never there._

_Eventually he came to a stop, landing gracefully before a cliff-embedded cave._

"_Successful?" came a voice, black hair blowing in the breeze as the speaker emerged fom the cave._

"_See for yourself." He detached the bag from where it hung at his belt, letting it hit the ground. His partner grinned at the satisfying jingle of coins and other valuables._

"_Excellent. I thought for a while you'd been caught."_

_A shrug. "Stealing from Toguro isn't as easy as it used to be."_

"_You're cutting it close, Yoko." The other man frowned, powerful wings twitching in annoyance as he folded his arms aross his chest. "Someday you'll get caught, and then where will you be?"_

"_Escaping," came the smug response. Yoko reached a hand up to scratch a cat-like ear half-hidden behind his silvery hair. "And you'll be helping me." He laughed and slung an arm about his friend's shoulders. "Relax, Kuronue! I've been doing this for _years_, and nothing's happened yet. Besides, we're a team! It's not like I'm doing this alone!"_

"_Which is exactly why I'm going with you next time, you idiot."_

_Yoko blinked. "Tonight, then. Before Toguro gets too organized and expectant."_

"_Tonight," Kuronue agreed, and as he bent down to pick up the bag of stolen goods, _Yusuke woke up.

He lay in bed for a while, listening to the rain. Was that what had woken him? The change in weather? He wanted to get back to that dream. Tonight he'd finally learned the names of those two thieves: Yoko and Kuronue. Odd dreams, really; he'd been having them for a couple nights now. He didn't mind, actually. It was like...like he was right there, watching it happen.

Like this had all happened before, and was more than just a dream.

But try as he might, he couldn't get back to sleep. Maybe a drink of water would help. He pushed the lone blanket aside and rolled out of bed. He knew the way to the kitchen—a year in this place had helped him greatly. He was completely, one-hundred percent sure of where he was going anywhere inside the building (except for some of the secret passageways, but those didn't count), and around the plantation, too.

Yusuke Urameshi had begun to feel like he belonged.

He found he wasn't the only one up at this hour. Touya and Hiei were there as well, having a quiet discussion that dwindled off as Touya greeted him.

"Couldn't sleep, Yusuke?"

"Nah." Yusuke took a glass out of the cupboard. "Woke up and couldn't go back. You?"

"Same."

"Couldn't sleep at all." Hiei took a sip out of his mug.

Yusuke blinked. "You should get Kurama to make you a—what's the word—a sleep-drink-thing! What with all his plants I'm sure he's got something."

"Sleeping," Hiei said indifferently. "Didn't want to disturb him." Touya coughed politely.

"Speaking of Kurama, what did you think about—er—_dinner_ earlier last night?"

It took Yusuke a second to figure out that since it was past midnight, "dinner earlier last night" meant "the last meal we ate." It took him another second to decipher the meaning of Touya's sentence.

"It worried me," he said, at last.

Hiei nodded his agreement, but was much less subtle as he expressed his opinion. "Voices that none of us can hear? When you combine that and the fact I haven't felt even the smallestof thoughts from his mind in months, I think we have a real cause for concern."

"What!" Yusuke exclaimed. "What do you mean, 'the smallest of thoughts'?"

"It's an interesting effect," Hiei not-so-patiently explained. "When the human mind gets extremely—_emotional_, shall we say, they practically shout their thoughts to anyone who can hear them. The Jagan, for example. Unless I specifically block it out, it has an amazing ability to pick up those 'distress thoughts,' as well as other minor ones. But in the past few months, I haven't picked up so much as one distress thought from Kurama's mind.

"Not one."

"Maybe he wasn't had any strong emotions?" Yusuke suggested, after a moment's thought.

Hiei shook his head. "In a whole _year_?"

"But you said—"

"I was being general. The last time I picked up any thoughts of Kurama's was shortly after the...Karasu mission at Suzaku's."

"And that's—not normal?" Yusuke swallowed. "Couldn't he—couldn't he just have learned to shield his mind from you, maybe? (Yusuke was attempting this himself with very limited success. He had a suspicion Hiei knew what he was up to, though, which Yusuke thought was the reason it wasn't working.)

Hiei laughed. "You over-estimate Kurama. It may seem like he's reading your mind at times, but that's only because he's very, very good at reading emotions and body language. His psychic abilities are, frankly, not that good."

"He's right," Touya agreed, "Kurama isn't strong enough to block _anyone_ out of his mind, much less Hiei."

"Okay, genuises, what would you suggest is wrong?" One year still hadn't cured Yusuke of the tendency to insult people.

Touya thought for a moment. "An outside source, perhaps?"

Yusuke opened his mouth to ask what the hell he meant when there was a commotion from a bit further down the hallway, and all of them felt the power flux as something entered the house.

"Kurama!" It was a three-second sprint from kitchen to foyer, not even long enough for the rain-dripping redhead to remove his bracelet. "What are you doing up!"

Kurama turned, dull green eyes not even seeming to see them before his knees gave out for the second time that night. Yusuke caught him as he collapsed, silver bracelet slipping off Kurama's wrist to clatter onto the floor.

"He killed them," Kurama whispered. Touya bent to pick up the bracelet and stopped as a warm droplet hit his hand. "He killed them all."

"Killed them? Who killed them!"

"Every single one," Kurama cried, and his shoulders shook under Yusuke's hands. It didn't take a genius to realize that Kurama was crying. "Every single one!"

"Who killed who?" Hiei said again, more forcefully. "Tell us!"

Yusuke gasped. "Kurama, your arm--!"

"Move over." Touya had already formed a blade of ice and was carefully cutting away the fabric of Kurama's sleeve. One long slice, and it fell to the ground, stained red with blood.

"NO!" Kurama pulled away sharply as Touya's hands gently fingered the edge of the wound. Hiei caught his shoulders.

"You got the wound from Karasu, didn't you?" he demanded, red eyes staring into green ones, which looked away. "You snuck out to Toguro's and ran into Karasu!"

Kurama didn't answer.

"He could have killed you!" Yusuke could not believe that Kurama would be so stupid as to go looking for Karasu in the middle of the night with his powers locked away by a band of silver, and said so.

"It wasn't as if I had a choice!" Kurama retorted. He winced as Touya carefully cleaned the wound, but didn't pull away. "None of you could hear the voices, so what was I supposed to do? Sit here and let them _die_!"

"You were supposed to let Genkai and Koenma handle it!"

"They couldn't hear the voices either!"

"It doesn't matter," Touya cut in, improvising a bandage out of Kurama's shirt sleeve. "What did you find, Kurama?"

Silence fell in the entryway.

"Plants," came the reluctant, whispered answer. "Many sick, dying plants, crowded together in a room with no light, and no water for them to drink. I could feel them." He shuddered. "Every single one."

Hiei was the first to get it. "Karasu killed them all, didn't he."

"Kurama—" Yusuke was at a loss for words. Now it all made sense—why Kurama was the only one who could hear those voices. If they were plants, and he'd been able to sense and hear all of them—then to have them all be killed right before his eyes—"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry." Embarassed, Kurama pulled away to finish the bandage himself. "It was my own stupid fault. Don't rub it in," he added, under his breath.

Yusuke heard him. "Rub it in? What makes you think we'd rub in the fact that there's nothing you can do about it while the stupid bracelets exist! We know that, you know that, Karasu knows that—"

"Yusuke," Touya hissed through gritted teeth. "You're rubbing it in."

But it was too late—the damage had been done.

"Don't you think **I** know that!" Kurama half-shouted. "Don't you think I know that there's no way I'll ever be able to kill him as long as we're slaves? I KNOW THAT! I don't need a reminder of it _every single day_, but does anybody seem to realize that? NO! I hear it from Yoko, I hear it from you, every single place I turn there's some reminder of my greatest weakness! Don't you think I know about it by now? Don't you think I have enough sense to DEAL WITH IT MYSELF!"

And he leapt to his feet and fled down the hallway, leaving three stunned friends behind.

Yusuke started after him, but stopped at a rather loud noise from upstairs. Somebody had woken up.

"Perhaps we should apologize to him in the morning," Touya said, voice quiet in the stillness.

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed, absently. "Hey, Hiei?"

"Hn?"

"Did you...anything?"

"Anything what?"

"From his mind?"

"Ah." The Jagan lit up, and somehow Yusuke knew the answer before it was spoken.

"No."


	26. Chapter TwentyFive: Out

**Author's Note: **In honor of school getting out, here's Chapter Twenty-Five...and its corresponding _major_ plot twist that brings us around one of the last turns. Yes, people, I did say last...believe it or not, I actually finished this story yesterday. I'm proud to say that including the Prologue and the Epilogue, there will be thirty-six chapters in this story.  
Now...everybody who knows Naruto, go read my new series entitled Memories!I'm updating that as soon as I find the manuscript.

**Explanatory Note: **Since everyone's wondering, yes, Yoko is blocking Hiei from reading Kurama's thoughts. Can't have anybody knowing that he's in there, can we?

**TUBRRTLOD: **Use CTRL + F to find your name if you're in a hurry**: Yume no Anime, Dragonflyr**, **Bluespark** (he's not without thoughts--they're just hidden from mind-reading people such as Hiei.), **dreamingsilver **(bwaha! I think I like you! Your sense of humor is awesome!), **NightmareShadow **(Glad to have you aboard! I'm so glad you like it!), **xmutedx, Bomb-O-Maniac **(Hah! I'm done! And I wrote the last bit right before the deadline, too!), **Naiei-no-miko, kit-kit, Natalya **(You're more than welcome. I'm happy to answer any questions you have any time. Rambling is a-ok! It makes me happy to read long reviews, even if they're only rambles.), **Insane Chipmunk **(I LOVE YOUR NAME!), **The Thief Kuronue, Kuranaga108** (there may be demons. There certainly are demonic influences like the Jagan, but in this story I doubt you'll run into any demons. Yoko's more of a legend, than anything else.)**, Happiness's Deceit, spitfire-n.a.y.s, Niana Kuonji **(I agree. Elder Toguro is definitely the freakier of the two. And winter for Kurama will definitely be a pain.)

I'm trying out a new style that may seem a bit abrupt. Lines change halfway through for easier reading.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five:  
****Out **

_"...I hear it from Yoko, I hear it from you, every single place I turn there's some reminder of my greatest weakness!" _

_"…I hear it from Yoko, I hear it from you…" _

_"…I hear it from Yoko..." _

Yusuke found it very, very hard to get back to sleep. When dawn broke, he finally gave up and plodded downstairs to a room he'd seldom beenin before. He spared a glance for the word "Library" written proudly over the door before heading in.

Hiei called to him as he came in. "I was wondering when you'd get here. Sit down and help."

Yusuke did, reaching for a book. "So you noticed, too?"

"Hn." Hiei flipped a page.

Yusuke continued, "I don't see how it's possible!"

Neither did Hiei. "Here. According to this, Yoko was a great thief, who lived many, many years ago. He stole and stole again with his partner Kuronue—until one day, they simly disappeared." He slammed the book shut. "The story's the same in every other book. The one you have is the most accurate, with lists of what he stole and when he stole them. You'll notice the last item was stolen fifty years ago."

So it was. Yusuke frowned. "That still doesn't explain why Kurama said...what he said."

_"...I hear it from Yoko, I hear it from you...!" _

"I know," Hiei agreed, closing his eyes inannoyance. A moment later, he asked, "You know what the strange thing is?"

"What?"

"Yoko's full name is Yoko Kurama."

They left the library stumped. The sky through the windows was covered with grey, crying clouds—not a good day for outdoor activities, as they'd originally hoped. They caught Touya on the way down to breakfast; when prompted, Touya explained that he was going "out" and didn't know when he'd return. Used to this by now, Yusuke continued to the kitchen, where he noticed a lot of people not Kurama, exchanged a few meaningful looks with Hiei, and buttered himself a piece of toast.

Yep, it seemed like it was going to be a pretty normal day.

**..:--:..**

The sun also liked to wake up Suzaku's plantation, but since it was raining there it didn't get the satisfaction of waking anybody up. As a result, Kuwabara overslept, was woken up when Shizuru dumped half the rain barrel on his head, and was incredibly late for his summons to the Big House that morning.

Kuwabara had a very, very bad feeling about today.

**..:--:..**

Touya had a bad feeling about today. It had started with the bad ending to their conversation six or eight hours ago, and only escalated when he woke up to find he'd been summoned to Toguro's. It worsened as he entered the big building, walked up to the office, and found not one, but _both_ Toguros there—as well as some strange men completely featureless in black cloaks.

"Touya," said the Younger Toguro, fingers steepled in front of him as the Elder Toguro grinned on his shoulder. "So glad you could make it."

* * *

"Make it?" Botan stared incredulously at the cookbook. "How on earth are you supposed to make _that_!" 

"That does look a little complicated," Yukina agreed, "Perhaps we should do something simpler for dinner?"

"No!" Botan protested, unaware of how unusual it was to be thinking of dinner at breakfast time, "We can do this, Yukina! We can do this!"

* * *

_I can do this_, Kuwabara thought to himself, as he halted right outside Suzaku's office. _It's probably nothing to worry about. I can do this. It'll be fine. _

"Kuwabara," said Suzaku, as Kuwabara stepped in. The slave immediately noticed the master wasn't alone; Byakko and Seiryu stood behind and to either side of his chair. "So glad you could make it," he added, with a very obvious glance at the clock.

"Sorry, Master," Kuwabara mumbled, staring at the floor. It was never good to upset the masters by being too daring.

* * *

Daring to look his master in the eye didn't get Touya anywhere—Toguro stared right back. He could get nothing out the man until he broke the silence. 

"Let's get on with this. I'm sure you've gathered by now that you're not here for a mission." Well, obviously, but Touya refused to let him know that. Silence was best. "Beating around the bush has never been my specialty, so I see no point in wasting valuable time and words." How clever. "Touya, you're going to—"

* * *

"—to see if Kurama's up?" 

"I'll do it!" Hiei and Yusuke offered simultaneously. Genkai shot them a suspicious look.

"I'll do it," Yukina said, and left to get away from Botan's obscure cooking ideas.

She was back five minutes later.

"He won't answer!" she cried, flustered, "I tried the door, too, it's—"

* * *

"—closed deal." 

"But—you can't!" Kuwabara momentarily forget his place as rage welled up inside him. Shiori—Atsuko—Sis—if he left, there'd be no one left to remind them...

"I can too," Suzaku snapped, "_I _am the Master of this plantation while you are but a slave. Anything I decide for you, _you do_. I say jump, you jump. I say—" He never finished his sentence as Kuwabara lunged.

_What with Kurama and Yusuke gone, I'm the only one the girls have left—you can't leave them with nothing!_

It only took Byakko to stop him from hurting Suzaku; the Master quickly regained his composure and ordered them to—

* * *

"Restrain him." 

Touya could only stand there and watch as a second silver bracelet materialized on his opposite wrist, chains quickly following to bind his hands together. He barely felt the sensation of cold steel clasping around his neck; all he could do was stand there, numb.

_I can't—I can't—Jin, Kurama—all of them—I can't, I won't lose everything I love—

* * *

_

"Again!" And chaos erupted in the kitchen as they all rushed down the hallway towards Kurama's room. Well, technically, Genkai and Koenma rushed. The others followed.

Sure enough, the door was locked and would not open under Genkai's efforts.

"We'll have to—"

* * *

"—break this down for you? No?" Kuwabara gritted his teeth and simply glared. Suzaku sighed. "I didn't think so. I'm sure you know how the procedure, anyway. But just to make this formal..." He picked up a paper off his desk and began to read aloud. 

" 'With the signing of this document, I, Suzaku, sell to Toguro—'"

* * *

--_our lives—does he think this is _funny_? That he can mess around like this... _

But as Toguro's words reached his ears, Touya knew this was no joke.

**_I CAN'T LOSE EVERYTHING AGAIN! _**

" '—that this slave—'"

* * *

" '—Kazuma—'"

* * *

"—KURAMA YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS TO OPEN THIS DOOR BEFORE WE—"

* * *

" '—the undersigned, representatives of Plantation Masho, agree to—'"

* * *

" '—properly fullfil the laws of such a sale—'"

* * *

" '—therefore, the mind, body, and—'"

* * *

"—SPIRIT—"

* * *

" '—of this slave now are—'"

* * *

Part of the plantation, had they been listening, would have heard the sound of a door being splintered into pieces, a heart shattered, an unspoken promise broken as in the same moment, three verdicts were pronounced. 

"—sold."

"—sold."

"—GONE!"


	27. Chapter TwentySix: Happenings

Wow...it's only been forever since I updated this. nn;; Sorry guys.  
I heard a rumor via email that we're not allowed to answer reviews anymore...and I honestly don't know what to say to that. It's nowhere in the rules, but all the same, I don't want to get booted because of breaking a non-existent rule. Our account is perilous enough as it is.  
XD In short, review responses will be back next time. Because I'm lazy and figure none of you remember what you reviewed about in the past four months. Except...for all of you who thought Touya was going to Suzaku's...think again. Bwahaha.  
Final stretch, people. As soon as I type up the next chapter you can have it...my floppy drive died so I have to cross-type. Damn.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty-Six:  
****Happenings**

Yusuke did not believe this was happening.

He managed to pass the note on to Botan with fairly steady hands. The note had been lying on Kurama's unused bed—Yukina, poor thing, had been the one to notice it.

It was not a happy note.

_I cannot take any more of this, and so I have left to work out a solution. Do not come after me; I shall return when I am ready._

_--Kurama_

"How could he be so irresponsible!" Koenma had shifted back to toddler-size in his distress, and was venting his rage to the entire room. "He _knows_ we can't escape with the bracelets on—it'll feed off his energy until he returns!"

"I don't understand," Botan said, after reading the note, "Any more of what? Was it something we did to cause him to leave?"

"Yes." All eyes turned to Hiei. "Yusuke, Touya, and I caught him sneaking in late last night. He'd been to Toguro's to investigate the noises, and Karasu caught him."

"He overreacted when I said something about that," Yusuke added, looking at the floor. "He yelled something about 'dealing with it himself' before running off, so I guess it's my fault—"

"No." Genkai sighed. "You did what you thought was best. Kurama has to learn to handle his own demons—all we can do is nudge him on."

Yusuke blinked. "We can't…help him?"

"It's a matter of honor," Genkai explained, gently, "Kurama will never be entirely free of Karasu unless he kills him himself. If we were to help, it would interfere, and he'd wonder for the rest of his life if he was truly strong enough to have ended it himself. This is something he _must_ do alone—and he knows that. He won't let us help him."

"But still, we have to go after him!" Jin had now read the note and was determined to contribute. "You know what happens when a bracelet is removed from the plantation without a master's consent! It'll drain off his energy until there's none left!"

"None left?" Yusuke turned to him. "Can that happen?"

It was Koenma who nodded affirmatively.

"And…what happens?"

Nobody spoke.

"What happens?"

Surprisingly enough, it was Yukina who answered.

"They die."

"Which is why we have to stop him!" Jin continued, before Yusuke had too much time to dwell on that thought. He raced out of the kitchen, and they heard a loud crash as Jin bumped into something, swore, and then there was an energy increase as he found his bracelet.

Pause.

Jin returned to the kitchen, red-faced with frustration. "The door won't open!"

Genkai ran out of the kitchen to test it herself; she came back in a moment later and shook her head.

"This is not good," she said, "Toguro's locked us in—"

"He can do that?"

"Yes, dimwit, he can. Although," she continued thoughtfully, "he doesn't do it very often. In fact, the only times he's ever done it are when one of us is being sold…"

"Sold!" Yusuke's eyes widened. "He can't do that!"

"Newsflash, boy, he's the Master of this plantation!" Genkai yelled. "If he wants to sell us, he can! If he wants to lock us up to make sure we don't interfere, he can! HE HAS COMPLETE CONTROL OVER US—AND IT WILL BE THIS WAY UNTIL HE DIES. This is how life is, Yusuke—I'm sorry you had to be born into such a world. But this is our lot in life."

"Who would he sell?" Yukina wondered, in the silence that followed. "I mean, except for Kurama we're all here, so it's not one of us; Toguro doesn't know about him yet—"

"You're wrong," Koenma said, through gritted teeth. "We're not all here."

It was Jin, the only remaining Shinobi on the plantation, who first figured out that he would never see his best friend again.

**..:--:..**

A good mile away from the plantation, Touya sneezed.

The black-cloaks didn't even turn around, he noticed. All the better. He really didn't think he could take any of what they were certain to give him; after all, life would be different now. He hated to admit it, but life under Toguro had been relatively easy. The only real work they'd had to do were the assignments he gave them, and even those weren't _that_ bad when you had a friend to help you through it.

_Jin, _he thought miserably, the red-haired Shinobi first in his mind, _You were always there for me—and now I have to leave you. You're the last hope the Shinobi have of being avenged, Jin…I've failed. I've failed in everything—that original mission, and now—_

_I'm sorry! _He cried, unconsciously sinking back into the pit of depression the sneeze had jerked him out of. _I can't do a thing to stop this—_And as loneliness seized his broken heart, drawing his gaze to nothing, a very tiny thought snuck into the back of his mind.

_Why don't they just kill me? I'm of no use to anyone. Even Toguro sent me away. No wonder; Yukina can control ice just as well as I can, plus she can heal. What good am I to anybody…_

So wrapped up was he in his sad, cold world that he didn't notice the tree root until he tripped over it. He didn't bother to get up. With his wrists bound, and the chain one of his new masters was holding, it'd be nearly impossible.

"It's sad to see him like this," commented one of the black-cloaks quietly.

"Toguro is a bastard," said a second.

"Yes, well, we know that."

Those voices...they sounded so _familiar_. Like he'd heard them before...Hands were gripping his shoulders, pulling him up into a sitting position against the tree trunk.

"Don't touch me!"

Instinct forced him to shove them away; his current status in life made him freeze immediately afterwards.

"It's okay," said the first voice, "We're not going to hurt you—here, I'll prove it to you." And the hands were on his neck, the collar—a spark jumped from their connection all the way around—

Then the collar _clicked_ and fell away in two very separate pieces.

"There," said the voice, "Isn't that better? Captivity never suited you, Touya. Then again," he continued, as Touya's head jerked up. "Captivity never suited any Shinobi."

Touya couldn't speak—he tried, but no words came. All he could do was stare, voices flying in and out of his head, names matching with tones until finally one long forgotten flew into his head and stuck.

"Risho…?"

**..:--:..**

Nobody was much in the mood for anything, and so the house was silent.

Yusuke didn't like it.

If he could have, he would have gone outside. Not that there was anything to do there, but—oh, why did he want to go outside anyway? It was raining; he'd get wet.

Kurama was out there, though. He was probably soaked to the bone. Yusuke hoped he was alright—wherever he was.

Maybe Kurama would make it—to freedom! Then he'd come back, one day, and free them….because he couldn't just leave them! They were friends. And friends didn't—they didn't just abandon each other.

…did they?

**..:--:..**

A friend of Yusuke's was inside, watching the rain through a glass window.

Hiei never much cared for rain, whether or not he was out in it. It was only natural, of course—water was the antagonist element.

That was why he didn't understand the man. The man standing outside their house, as if…waiting. For what? Surely not anyone inside.

The man below the window turned, and his head tilted up.

Hiei didn't move, and he knew their eyes met.

The man who'd repelled the Dragon of the Darkness Flame looked away.

Hiei knew he was being taunted by the way the man stood.

And so Hiei stared back, watching, waiting.

Waiting for the day when his dragon would finally strike down Bui.

**..:--:..**

A friend of Yusuke's was in the rain, pushing forwards one step at a time. Shoes stuck in mud and were reluctant to pull away; hair hung in eyes and he could not muster the strength to push it out.

The voice in his head told him this was madness, to stop and turn around now!

The bracelet on his arm stole away his energy, bit by bit, until at last he stumbled over something, falling to his knees, falling completely, and he did not get up.

Kurama didn't have the strength.

**..:--:..**

Someone Yusuke did not know stepped out of the shadows, barely more than a shadow himself. He looked down at the fallen Kurama, purple eyes narrowing in suspicion as his gaze alighted on the source of the boy's pain.

Purple eyes bent down to pick up the semi-conscious slave.

Someone Yusuke did not know took Kurama away.

**..:--:..**

Someone Yusuke knew was waiting for him in his bedroom. Someone Yusuke didn't like was in the room before he closed the door. Someone Yusuke despised calmly said hello to him after he entered.

Someone who shouldn't be there, was.

And Yusuke stared, dumbly, into the face of the man he'd hated for eleven years.

Toguro stared back.

Yusuke's first move should have been to attack, but his legs refused to move, knees quivering though he tried to repress it.

"H-how?" he stuttered. "How are you—"

"Honestly, Yusuke. Did you really think I'd have a place on my plantation I could not get into?" His tone was that of a mother reminding a child of a very obvious fact. Yusuke's mouth dropped open; he pulled it shut almost immediately.

"I should have done this months ago," Toguro went on, taking a step closer to Yusuke. And another, slow and deliberate. "Welcomed you properly to the plantation. How foolish of me to have forgotten." He came closer; still Yusuke found himself frozen to the spot. Months of lessons flew out of his head. He could barely breathe as he realized a horrifying truth.

_This man could kill him._

"Of all my slaves, I think you are the most promising since—Genkai, at least. Perhaps even since Yoko." The name should've caused a reaction to Yusuke, but it didn't. He could only watch… "Which is why I feel you should know."

Master stood in front of petrified slave.

"You will never beat me like that."

A bead of sweat trickled down Yusuke's face as Toguro continued. "You would need at least two more months of rigorous training before you could even scratch me—and frankly, you don't have that much time."

"What do you mean," Yusuke managed to choke out. Toguro took two steps—one alongside him. One past.

"Things are happening, Urameshi. Your friends are missing. They could return. Before you know it, you could find yourself in the toughest fight you'll ever be in." A final step. To the open door. "And I want a good fight.

"After all, it's not every day the fate of the plantation lands on your head.

"Consider this your lucky day, Yusuke Urameshi."

The master left. A terrified slave fell to his knees, his hands, to stare at the floor, at the muddy boot-prints that proved the reality of what had just happened.

_He's so strong...too strong._

_God dammit, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!_


End file.
